UN envoy hopes UN will OK force for Haiti to combat gangs

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. special envoy for Haiti says she heard “caution” from the United States and Canada about possibly leading an international armed force to help Haiti combat gangs but not “a definite `No.'” Helen La Lime expressed hope Wednesday that the U.N. Security Council will deal positively with the issue of the force requested by the Haitian government. She sid at a news conference that an international armed force would be a partner of the Haitian National Police “that would go against the gangs.” At a Security Council meeting Tuesday, the United States and Canada showed no interest in deploying security personnel. They are the two countries most often mentioned as possible leaders of an international armed force.