Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso said Sunday that her country would be willing to consider granting asylum to Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Speaking on the Panamanian radio, the president said that Panama has to "view with compassion this country battered by misery and malnutrition" and would "help everything get back to normal."

Panamanian Foreign Minister Harmodio Arias said Panama is ready to give Aristide a two-week interim refuge. If a third country offers him political asylum, Panama would treat him as an "interim guest" for two weeks, Arias told local television.