HAITI . . . 17 NATIONS TO JOIN U.S. FORCE

Secretary of State Warren Christopher said 17 countries, including Israel and three NATO allies, have agreed to send about 1,500 soldiers to help American forces after the now expected U.S. invasion of Haiti. He added that assembling those troops shouldn't delay American military action, which the Pentagon said could take place within a week to a month. Meanwhile, about 160 Caribbean troops--the first to agree to serve as an invasion backup force--arrived in Puerto Rico for two weeks of training with hundreds of U.S. Army Special Forces troops. The 17 countries, some announced previously, are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, the Bahama Islands, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Dominica, Guyana, Israel, Jamaica, The Netherlands, Panama, St. Vincent, Trinidad and the United Kingdom.