The Haitian government has confirmed Nov. 20 will be the date for their presidential elections, with the second round set for Jan. 3, 2006, the local radio Kiseya said Sunday.

The dates were set during a special meeting of the Council of Ministers on Saturday, Kiseya reported.

During the radio interview, Michel Brunache, current President Boniface Alexandre's director of Cabinet, said that the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) will publish on Monday the presidential decree on the coming elections and a candidate-registration brochure.

Over 4 million Haitians are eligible to vote in the elections. They will be asked to select a president, 30 senators and 83 representatives in both houses of the government.

However, only 2.2 million have registered to date, and the deadline for registration is Sept. 15.

Pierre-Richard Duchemin, a CEP member, told the media in Port-au-Prince, the country's capital, on Friday that "only a natural disaster or a very serious political event could lead to the annulment of elections."

Meanwhile, he requested the support of the press to encourage more citizens to register for the vote.

Some 60 political parties and nearly 30 presidential candidates will vie for a place in the new government.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2005)