New prime minister to help shape Haiti government

Haiti's new prime minister recently arrived in Haiti promising disarmament and reconciliation to warring factions vying for control in the new government as well as the re-installation of the nation's army, which he said was illegally disbanded.

Gerard Latortue, 69, a former U.N. official and foreign minister, arrived in Haiti after years of exile in Florida. He has said establishing peace is one of his main priorities. Latortue wants the Cabinet to include retired army Chief of Staff Herard Abraham to promote security. Abraham also supports the call for recreating Haiti's army, a key rebel demand.

Disarming Haiti's many factions will be the biggest challenge, and Latortue stressed the need for cooperation from some 2,600 peacekeepers from the United States, France, Chile and Canada.

"I came here with my mind open to work with everyone in Haiti," Latortue said. "I'm not a member of any political party."

Latortue, who most recently worked as an international consultant, said he understands what the country is experiencing.

"We who are living outside the country may not suffer the same kind of pain, but we feel it just as much when we see the wounds caused by what's happening in the country."

Under exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the prime minister's position was largely ceremonial. But Latortue will be a powerbroker with the potential to smooth political divisions in forming a transitional government.