Elections key for Haiti stability - Clinton

By Andrew Quinn

Washington - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged earthquake-stricken Haiti on Tuesday to hold legislative elections "as soon as appropriate," saying new polls were key to the stability and legitimacy of the Haitian government.

Clinton, speaking to reporters after meeting with Haitian President Rene Preval, said rescheduling elections delayed by the January 12 earthquake should be a top priority "to ensure the stability and legitimacy of the Haitian government".

"I assured President Preval that the United States would work with the international community to hold elections as soon as appropriate," Clinton said.

Preval has said he would not seek to extend his term in office beyond its scheduled conclusion on February 11, 2011, and said on Tuesday he was confident that legislative elections - originally scheduled for February 28 - could be organised in time to ensure an orderly transition.

"What we must absolutely avoid is that we have a temporary provisional government that does not enjoy legitimacy," Preval said during his appearance with Clinton.

After the news conference, Preval told reporters that there was no time to lose - although he gave no dates for when the elections might be held.

"Before I depart we must have a parliament and a new president. We have almost a year to do that," Preval told reporters after the news conference.

"If in a year we have a provisional government, that would be a catastrophe. That government would have no legitimacy, there wouldn't be a parliament ... it would really be a return to 2004."

Presidential elections had been set for November, but it is unclear whether that will happen on schedule. - Reuters