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[haitiwebs]

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, visiting Haiti on the weekend, apologized on Canada's behalf for a border incident in May that involved the Caribbean country's prime minister.

Jacques Edouard Alexis was denied a Canadian entry visa because his name was on a list of people accused of crimes against humanity.

He was eventually given a visa, but not an explanation.

"This is an unfortunate and regrettable occurrence," MacKay told reporters after meeting with Alexis and President René Préval in Port-au-Prince on Saturday.

"But Mr. Alexis has been very gracious and very patient and understanding, and my presence here today is a demonstration that we're going to work through this."

Earlier in the week, Alexis complained that his "honour has been soiled" by the incident.

While MacKay tried to make amends, he wouldn't say was whether Canadian officials made a mistake.

"We are committed to working through this," he said. "I've given my personal word that we are going to give this the priority that it deserves and we're going to find a way to fix it."

The incident was embarrassing for Ottawa, which has sent millions of dollars in funding and dozens of police officers to join a UN peacekeeping force to help restore calm in Haiti after Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted as president in a violent rebellion in February 2004.

Alexis, 58, is an agronomist who previously served as prime minister and education minister during Préval's first presidency from 1996 to 2001.

During that time, Haitian police allegedly killed civilians, including political opponents of Aristide.