Montreal summit to focus on aid coordination plan

THE United States, France, Brazil and other “Friends of Haiti” will hold emergency talks in Montreal on Monday to coordinate aid for the quake-hit Caribbean nation and prepare a later summit on reconstruction.

Coordinating the response to the devastating 7.0-magnitude quake is crucial after Haiti’s government offices, roads and communications infrastructure were destroyed or badly damaged.

The meeting, whose dignitaries will include US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, is expected to affirm the central role of the United States in post-quake Haiti – already illustrated by its massive military presence and relief efforts there.