PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Prominent figures in the party of Haiti's ousted leader said yesterday that they will participate in fall elections, but other members insisted no such decision has been made - a sign of a possible rift in the country's largest political faction.

Previously, officials with the Lavalas Family party said they would not field candidates unless ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is allowed to return to Haiti from exile in South Africa and other leaders were released from prison.

Their participation in the elections is considered key since Lavalas enjoys widespread support despite the bloody rebellion that led to Aristide's ouster in 2004.

Former Lavalas senator Louis Gerald Gilles, regarded as a leader of the party's moderate wing in Haiti, said they were in talks with Aristide - still the head of the party - on a public statement calling for participation in the two rounds of elections.

"We have the obligation to join the elections and to win them," Gilles said ata meeting of political parties organised by Haiti's interim government and the United Nations.
"Our party leader is an intelligent man, we are convinced we will reach an agreement with him," Gilles said.

Another senior high-profile Lavalas figure, former deputy Rudy Heriveaux, confirmed the decision.
"It's 100 per cent sure," Heriveaux said. "We'll make the official announcement in the coming days."

Both said a congress would be held in the coming days or weeks to nominate a presidential candidate for the party.
But Jonas Petit, a party leader in exile, denied that Lavalas would take part in the October 9 local elections and the November 13 legislative and presidential race.

"It's absolutely false," Petit said by phone from the United States. "It's contrary to the official position of our party."
He accused the others in the party of bowing to pressure from the interim government.

Aristide could not immediately be reached for comment.
One possible presidential candidate, the Rev Gerard Jean-Juste, was jailed late last week in connection with the death of a well-known journalist though authorities have offered no proof and the Roman Catholic priest claims he was out of the country at the time of the killing.

Only about 600,000 voters, or about 13 per cent of the electorate, have registered to vote - a figure that observers blame on the call for a boycott by Lavalas.

Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue said Saturday that the August 9 deadline may have to be extended to September so more people could register to vote.

Latortue also said he disagreed with an advisory board's recommendation that Lavalas be banned from participating in elections because of the party's alleged ties to armed gangs loyal to Aristide.

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