HAITIAN PREMIER COMPLAINS ABOUT U.S. DRUG DECISION

PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 10 (Reuters) - Haiti's prime minister said on
Wednesday the country has worked hard to fight narcotrafficking and should
not have been rejected for U.S. certification as a partner in the anti-drug
effort.

"The DEA (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) is here and there are
American boats that penetrate our waters as part of this programme to fight
narcotrafficking," Jacques Edouard Alexis told Reuters.

"Haitian agents are doing their work. This non-certification, it doesn't
just penalise Haiti, it penalises the DEA, in my opinion. We are working
together, so there is a problem."

Haiti was included on a Feb. 26 list signed by President Bill Clinton that
included Cambodia, Nigeria, and Paraguay as countries that the United States
considers in its "vital national interests" to certify but which have not
met requirements. Countries that were rejected were Afghanistan and Burma.

Some 50 percent of narcotics that go through the Caribbean to the United
States pass through Haiti, according to U.S. officials.

In the first six months of last year some, 14 tons of cocaine were
intercepted in the Caribbean, nine tons more than the same period in 1997.

Alexis said the certification decision not only hurt Haiti's image, but hurt
its chances at getting aid.

Millions of dollars in international aid have already been blocked by a
government crisis that has been strangling Haiti since the resignation of
prime minister Rosny Smarth nearly two years ago.

"I think that it's not fair, because there are a lot of efforts being made,
considering all the limitations that we have," Alexis said. "The police are
making a lot of effort, but we have a lot of problems with the judicial
system."

"We have an agreement with the U.S., but they have not given certification.
It's a problem for them... for the DEA. They have to tell us then, 'What are
they doing?'"

Alexis was President Rene Preval's third nominee to replace Smarth. His
candidacy was approved by Parliament in December.

In January, Preval announced the terms of most legislators had ended, citing
a 1995 electoral law, which left Parliament with only nine senators and
emptied the Chamber of Deputies.

The move sparked tremendous national and international controversy, and
fears of a return to totalitarian rule. Preval and Alexis have said they
intend to organise quick elections to resolve the crisis.

Alexis has assumed the office of prime minister and said his government will
be a transitional one, whose priority is to organise legislative elections.