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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release May 16, 1994

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Last Wednesday in Haiti, the military leadership abetted by a rump faction of the Haitian Senate installed a bogus government supposedly led by illegitimate "President" Emile Jonaissant. Jonaissant, fronting for the military leaders, compounded this offense by announcing new "Cabinet" appointments this afternoon. In a courageous speech to the Haitian people this morning, acting Prime Minister Robert Malval called on Haiti's civil servants to refuse cooperation to the bogus authorities. Malval dismissed Jonaissant as a puppet of the military leadership. He renewed his call to General Cedras to retire and permit the restoration of democracy.

We vigorously support Prime Minister Malval's denunciation of this travesty of constitutional process. We associate ourselves fully with his demands that C?dras and the other military leaders stop denying democracy and security to the Haitian people. We will keep tightening the pressure on the military leadership until they step down. Maneuvers such as today's announcement only strengthen our determination to see democracy restored and President Aristide returned to the Presidency to which Haitians overwhelmingly elected him in 1990.

Malval and his Cabinet are the only legitimate constitutional government in Haiti, operating under the authority of President Aristide. Obviously, neither we nor the international community will have any dealings with the Jonaissant cabinet.

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