The Chilean Vice Foreign MinisterCristian Barros is to visit Jamaica Monday to meet Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson in a bid to help resolve Haiti's political conflict.

In an interview with the Chilean daily "El Mercurio," Monday, Barros said his country would assume a more protagonist role in the democratic transition in Haiti, after the countries of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) had urged him to mediate with the new authorities.

Chile was chosen as a mediator supposedly because it is the only Latin American country that joins the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti.

Barros also said he took into account CARICOM's decision to refrain from sending troops to Haiti and ask for a probe into the circumstances of the resignation of former president Aristide, whoaccused Washington of kidnapping and forcing him to exile in the Central African Republic.

Patterson made the request last Thursday when he telephoned Chilean President Ricardo Lagos after the regional bloc decided not to send troops to Haiti.

in response to the request for mediation, the Chilean government decided to send Cristian Barros to meet Patterson in Jamaica ahead of his visit to Haiti, where he is to hold talks with the interim president Boniface Alexandre and the UN special envoy.

Barros said the aim of his meeting with the authorities was to "offer the support of Chile to establish a permanent government and carry out elections in three months."