Aristide Vows To Leave Following Elections

After a week of uncertainty that unnerved local politicians as well as top U.S. officials, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide promised Monday to abide by elections to choose his successor.

“I am leaving on Feb. 7,” the Rev. Jean-Yves Urfie quoted Aristide as saying in an interview with Libete, an independent Creole-language weekly newspaper that the priest founded and directs.

Urfie said Aristide also cleared up doubts about the election, saying they would be held as scheduled Dec. 17. The interview is to be published Wednesday.