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Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti in Port-au-Prince

March 31, 1995

Assassination of Mireille Durocher Bertin

Q. President Aristide, was your Interior Minister involved in the Tuesday assassination?

President Aristide. No.

Q. Have these allegations cast a damper over the President's visit?

President Aristide. No.

Q. Have you asked the FBI to look into the possibility that he might have been involved in the Bertin death?

President Aristide. We welcome help from the international community, from the United States in helping us finding proof of this violence for months—for days. And together we'll be working.

Q. Mr. President, are you satisfied the Interior Minister was not involved?

President Clinton. President Aristide asked the FBI to help investigate this. They are doing an investigation. I think we should applaud this quick and decisive action and let the investigation proceed and not presume its results.

This is a day of celebration, and nothing can cast a cloud on it. It's a day of mission accomplished for the United States, a day of celebration for Haiti and for the United Nations force, and a day for looking ahead for the work still to be done.

President's Visit

Q. How did you like your reception, Mr. President?

President Clinton. I liked it a lot. It was very nice. It was great.

Q. Must be a little bit tired—all the hand shaking.

President Clinton. It was quite wonderful.

Q. [Inaudible]—was your idea?

President Clinton. No, but I liked it, though.

NOTE: The exchange began at 12:05 p.m. at the National Palace. A reporter referred to Interior Minister Gen. Mondesir Beaubrun of Haiti. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.

William J. Clinton, Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti in Port-au-Prince Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/221737

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