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EMBASSY OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA May 14, 2002 Mr. Francis Soler,
Editor Dear Sir: I wish to correct several errors, which appear in an article published in Number 994 of your journal. The article indicates, incorrectly, that the United States Government has expressed reservations about the High Constitutional Court's review of the December 16 presidential election and its April 29 decision that Marc Ravalomanana won a majority of the votes cast. In fact, after a careful review of the HCC's procedures and discussions with judges of the HCC, members of my staff, including the Embassy's Political/Economic officer, came to the conclusion that the HCC's procedure was transparent, verifiable. Based on this report and following consultation with the State Department in Washington, the United States Government made clear that it respects the rule of law in Madagascar and accepts the High Constitutional Court's decision. We regret that no steps were taken by your journal to verify these matters with the Embassy prior to printing your article. Sincerely, Wanda L. Nesbitt |