SANTIAGO, June 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Chilean President Ricardo Lagos on Monday defended his country's military mission in Haiti as partof the peace operation launched by the United Nations.

    Chile sent troops to Haiti as it felt necessary to maintain order and stability in the Caribbean state, said Lagos, admitting that the UN-led involvement in Haiti should help improve local living conditions.

    The Amnesty International accused foreign troops in Haiti of failing to deal effectively with the local armed groups. "Though the troops led by the United States were in a unique situation to contribute to disarming, they did not seriously try to cooperate with the Haitian police to establish a nationwide disarming program," said a report by the London-based human rights watch-dog.

    The non-governmental group admitted, however, that it is a challenge to disarm a country of 8 million people with just less than 4,000 policemen and women. The US-led multinational force of3,600 troops should have moved as much as possible in the task of disarming, said Eric Olson, Amnesty International Director for the Americas and the United States.

    The Chilean president said that the conception of the UN mission is fully understood and he would reiterate its significance when he visits Haiti in July.

    He said he will be dissatisfied if the Chilean troops just stick to their military mission in Haiti. Enditem