Evening star., 1963-05-09
OAS Peace Committee Delays Return
As Haiti-Dominican Threat Recedes

AVA" AOASAA, way o NGI -
The special peace committee of
the Organization of American
States delayed its return to
Haiti and the Dominican Re-
public today, apparently con-
vinced that the threat of war
between the two Caribbean
neighbors is no longer serious.
The main concern appeared
to be whether the threat Of
revolt In Haiti would prompt
Dictator-President Francois
Duvalier to launch sweeping,
bloody reprisals against for
eigners, particularly Americans,
and suspected opponents.
. The anti Duvalier under
ground has threatened an up
rising by May Is. Meanwhile
4 the OAS is without authority
to intervene in what is essen
TALLY a domestic Haitian affair.
May Wait 10 Days
: Gonzalo Facio of Costa Rica,
head of the OAS Council, told
: newsmen in New York last
/. night that 1t may be 10 days
+; before the committee goes back
to the troubled island Of His
PAMELA.
"The committee almost GER
tainly will return" Mr.. Facio
said. But just when and what
their agenda will be hasn't been
decided yet"
He announced later that the
committee Is returning to
Washington for a meeting later
. today. 1t will receive and dis
cuss a report from the commit
tees head, Alberto Zuleta Angel
: of Colombia, who is due back
from Santo Domingo.
The special committee was
set up last week after DR.. Du-
valier's police invaded the Do
minican Embassy in Port au
Prince in search of Duvalier
opponents who had taken ref
uge there. Dominican President
Juan Bosch moved troops to
the border and threatened mil
itary action, but a visit by the
OAS committee Gained the sit
uation.
Mr.. Facio said the OAS will
study a report from Alberto
Zuleta of Colombia, a commit
tee member who stayed behind
and was expected back from
Santo Domingo today.
Evaluating Reports
Were also evaluating other
information before deciding
when the committee will re-
turn" Mr.. Facio said. We're
getting reports on the situation
of those in asylum in Port au
Prince and on the Haitian in
ternal situation"
Haitian Foreign Minister
Rene Chalmers conferred with
Mr.. Facio and members of the
OAS committee last night in
New York and told them he
will try to end his governments
hostile acts against % political
refugees still in the Dominican
Embassy.
He also promised the COM
mittee to press DR.. Duvalier to
give safe conduct out of the
country to the refugees, who
were put under protection of
the Colombian Embassy after
Haiti broke relations with the
Dominican Republic last week.
At the height of the crisis,
DR.. Duvalier pledged to let Is
of the % refugees go and to L
allow the other seven to trans
fer to the Colombian Embassy. !
Instead he ringed the Domini-
can Embassy with troops, and
Mr.. Bosch has demanded that
all % be allowed to leave the
country. I
About so Duvalier opponents
are in other Latin American 4
embassies in Port au Prince. No !
open move has been made }
against them. I
Mr.. Chalmers told newsmen
Monday night in Port au Prince v
that ''little by little" all the /
refugees in all the embassies i
would be allowed to leave Haiti. c
None has been given safe con- @
duct, however. S
The OAS Council gave its a
special committee new powers q
yesterday to perform whatever /
service is necessary" to help
solve the dispute between Haiti {
and the Dominican Republic.
There had been complaints
that the mission was handi-
capped because 1t was en-
powered only to investigate the
situation.
Kennedy Backs Mission
President Kennedy endorsed
the mission at his news con-
ference yesterday.
Il think the GAS action Is
the proper one, and / think 1t
is very important that we pro-
ceed in company with the OAS,
and therefore I am supporting
the action the OAS has taken
in setting up this peace ma
chinery," he said.
Before anything else is done,
Mr.. Kennedy said, II think we
ought to wait and see what they
are able to do in the next two
or three or four days"
Mr.. Chalmers told the United
Nations Security Council yes
terday that Haiti had been sub
jected to repeated threats of
aggression from the Dominican
Republic.
Guaroa Velazquez, the Do
l.I..A. A.. A..