Diplomats Strive To Avert Clash In Haiti

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 15

Diplomats Strive To Avert Clash In Haiti

(N.2 Press Association—Copyright) SANTO DOMINGO (Dominican Republic), May 7. Dominican land, sea and air forces remained poised on the borders of Haiti today, awaiting the outcome of diplomatic efforts to ward off a Caribbean clash, the Associated Press reported.

Ail along the 150mile border between the two neighbouring nations, Dominican troops were ready to invade Haiti when ordered by President Juan Bosch. Air Force planes patrolled the border and at sea Dominican warships took up stations virtually within shelling , range of Haiti. Hope of avoiding an invasion by the superior Dominican forces lay with the Organisation of American States in Washington and the United Nations’ Security Council in New York. Yesterday, President Bosch called on the O.A.S to step into the crisis on the island

of Hispaniola. He sent a message to the O.A.S. council chairman. Mr Gonzalo Facio, pledging to use force “only if the aggression against our Embassy (in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital) persists." Replying to Mr Facio’s plea earlier in the day for the two countries to submit the dispute to toe O.A.S, Mr Bosch asked toe O.A.S. to protect the lives of Dominicans, other foreigners and Haitians from the “tyranny” of the Haitian President, Dr. Francois Duvalier. The Haitians countered by demanding an immediate session of the United Nations Security Council to consider charges of “planned aggression" by the Dominican Republic The Haitian demand for a meeting “with the maximum urgency” was drawn up in Port-au-Prince by the Foreign Minister (Mr Rene Chalm-

ers) and delivered to toe United Nations Secretariat m New York by toe Haitian Ambassador (Mr Carlet R Auguste) The council will decide today if and when to meet. United Press International reported. Some observers speculated the Haitian appeal to the United Nations might force President Bosch's time-table ahead. But informed diplomatic sources said word had been relayed to toe O.A.S that he would await the outcome of hemispheric action before deciding on an actual attack. The seriousness of the situation was emphasised by a statement by Mr Facio in Washington that war between Haiti and the Dominican Republic “is a distinct possibility" Mr Facio said after a two and a quarter-hour meeting that the O.A.S council had resolved to remain in permanent session. An A.P correspondent. Morris W Rosenberg, reported from, Port-au-Prince that the Duvalier regime seemed to be doing its utmost to avoid any tactical provocation that might touch off an attack

The United States was reported to be urging President Bosch not to invade lest an attack rally Haitians round the Duvalier regime, which Washington also would like to see removed from the hemispheric scene. Government officials and the local press made no comment on the Dominican invasion threat The capital was quiet. The Haitian - Dominican crisis centres on the 22 Haitians who took refuge in the Dominican Embassy in Port-au-Prince Santo Domingo charged that Haitian troops invaded the Embassy and thereby violated Dominican sovereignty.