ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, November 30, 1996            TAG: 9612020047
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL   PAGE: A-8  EDITION: METRO 

IN THE WORLD

U.N. council adds time to Haiti mission

UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. Security Council on Friday extended the mandate of its mission in Haiti for five days to give diplomats time to try to persuade China to accept a longer extension.

The mandate for the 1,200 U.N. peacekeepers and 300-member civilian police force was to have expired today. Friday's decision extends the mandate until Thursday.

Haitian President Rene Preval had asked the council to extend the mission through next July. Last month, U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said an extension would help Haiti's rookie police force gain experience and ensure a stable political climate.

Hastily trained by the U.N. officers, Haiti's police have been widely criticized for lacking discipline. Preval says they need more training.

- Associated Press

* Seven years after a bloody revolution, Romania completed its first democratic transfer of power Friday when geology Professor Emil Constantinescu was sworn in as president.

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