France Cancels Debt of Haiti and committed hundreds of millions In Help

As he stood outside the French embassy still standing in Port-au-Prince, Sarkozy acknowledged that the former presence of France "did not leave good memories."

"It was a very important visit for us historically," Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said.

Mr Sarkozy said he was first and foremost "to" Haitians to take the redevelopment and reconstruction in their own hands, saying the effort should be a national project "true".

Haiti and France have had difficult relations since slavery on the island of Hispaniola They pushed back the French troops and declared independence in 1804.

France has reacted to his defeat by the cancellation of diplomatic relations until 1825, when both countries agreed during repairs - CHF 150 million, then dropped to 90 million francs. The money went to plantation owners who lost land and slaves in the uprising.

After his speech to the embassy, ​​Mr. Sarkozy briefly walked through the Champ de Mars, the largest camp of displaced people of Haiti, where the French have distributed 600 tents. Dweller Camp Nancy Marc said she recognized that Sarkozy's visit was purely symbolic, but its presence is comforting.

"Since the day of the earthquake, no one has visited us," said Ms. Mark, 29, who lost his sister in the disaster. "We are pleased that the President came here, and that gives us hope. "

■ Eight American missionaries released from prison Haitian nearly three weeks after being accused of child abduction for trying to take a group of children outside the quake hit countries were due to fly to the United States overnight.

Judge Bernard Saint-Vil their published Wednesday without bail or other conditions after parents testified that they had voluntarily surrendered their children to the missionaries.

The judge has always wanted to challenge the group leader Laura Silsby and nanny Charisa Coulter, but he sent Ms. Coulter to hospital for treatment of his diabetes.

McClatchy, AFP