BARBADOS (The Nation):
SOUTH AFRICAN President Thabo Mbeki said yesterday that former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide may be able to return home after consultation with Haiti's new president, local media reported.
Aristide has been living in exile in South Africa since 2004 when he fled an uprising over charges of rights abuses and corruption.
Mbeki said there was no reason why the former Roman Catholic priest should not go back to Haiti after an election this month, which was won by Aristide ally René Preval.
"I would imagine from everything that I've seen and heard President Preval himself wouldn't want to oppose President Aristide's return to Haiti," Mbeki said on SABC radio.
"But I think it will be determined largely by an assessment by René Preval, by President Aristide as to the timing of it so that it doesn't produce unnecessary problems."
HAITI'S RIGHTFUL LEADER
After his ouster, South Africa insisted that Aristide was Haiti's rightful leader and said he had been toppled by the United States and France.
Aristide, who remains popular in Haiti's poor slums, has been silent for most of his stay in South African and not commented on his possible return after the elections.
