Haiti allows ex-president's return

Haiti's government has said it was ready to issue a new passport to Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former president, to would allow him to return to his country after almost seven years in exile in South Africa. "The government will give assurances that as soon as it receives such a request, it will be swiftly granted," the information ministry said in a statement on Monday. "It is my understanding that the Council of Ministers has agreed to issue a diplomatic passport to Aristide befitting his position as a former president of the republic," said Ira Kurzban, Aristide's Miami-based lawyer. "I kindly request that the government of the Republic of Haiti initiate dialogue with the government of the Republic of South Africa to ensure Aristide's immediate return," said Kurzban. Kurzban, on Monday formally requested the diplomatic passport in a letter sent to Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs Marie-Michele Rey and Minister of the Interior Paul Antoine Bien-Aime. But the Interior Minister said in an official letter, sent later on Monday that no passport had been requested. "It appears that to date, neither ministry had received a request for issuance or renewal of passports from the former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide," he wrote.