By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haiti's new U.S.-backed leader said on Sunday he had dropped a "ridiculous" demand by ex-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide for France to return $22 billion he said the Caribbean nation was forced to pay its colonial masters after gaining independence in 1804.

Aristide, driven into exile on Feb. 29 in the face of a month-long revolt and U.S. and French pressure, had launched a vigorous campaign to get back 90 million gold francs Haiti paid Paris in reparations after its slaves drove out the French.

At today's values -- and totting up interest to the last cent -- Aristide claimed the money was now worth nearly $22 billion, and would go a long way to helping the poorest country in the Americas get back on its feet.

"This claim was illegal, ridiculous and was made only for political reasons," Prime Minister Gerard Latortue told Reuters, saying Haiti had no interest in maintaining an atmosphere of confrontation with France.

"This matter is closed. What we need now is increased cooperation with France that could help us build roads, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure," he said.

About 1,000 French soldiers have joined an international force led by U.S. Marines in a U.N.-sanctioned mission to restore peace in Haiti after the revolt, in which more than 200 people died.

The rebellion was begun by an armed gang that once supported Aristide -- Haiti's first democratically elected leader -- and was soon joined by former soldiers and right-wing death squad leaders who returned from exile.

Latortue, a former U.N. bureaucrat, was named by a council of eminent Haitians to lead a government until new elections.

Since Aristide's flight, a ubiquitous government-sponsored jingle that went, "Reparations, restitution we demand, France pay me my money to celebrate my freedom," has vanished from the airwaves.

Some historians say the burden of compensation for plantations and even slaves paid by Haiti to Paris between 1826 and 1893 ensured that what had been France's richest colonial treasure would become one of the world's poorest countries.

Many Aristide supporters believe France supported what they saw as a U.S.-backed "coup" against Aristide because of irritation over the reparations claim.

French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie denied those allegations during a visit this month and said France's decision to get involved in the international force was motivated by a desire to help Haiti avoid an even greater disaster.

Latortue said talks he had had with officials from both the United States and France gave him hope they would support Haiti as it tries to rebuild. Secretary of State Colin Powell also visited Haiti in the past few weeks.

Encouraged by former settlers, who spent years pushing for a new invasion after rebellious slaves defeated Napoleon's troops on the battlefield, France imposed the indemnity on the government of Jean-Pierre Boyer in 1825.

Some historians say France made it clear that was what the former colony had to pay to avoid a new invasion. France only agreed to recognize Haiti's independence after it agreed to pay the money.

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  don't make me laugh..France forced Haiti to pay at gun point   and now France forces Haiti to drop the demands at gun point.

Nothing the monkey/turtle government does or say should stand or mean anything.

the country is under occupation.

I respect Prime Minister Latortue's personal opinion and position. His comment on the issue of Restitution was his onw not necessary the opinion of the Haitian people. He is not talking on behalf of millions of Haitians. He certainly not speaking on my behalf. I resent what the colonizers did to us how even today they continue to mess with our brain. Haitians are not stupid they will eventually speak out. We don't want to be occupy, we don't want French troops on our land. Does Latortue know how we feel about the issue of Restitution? Does he care? Aristide made a lots of mistakes, he failed to do his home work before addressing the issue of Retitution and Reparation. Several millions of gourdes were wasted in this effort at the end of the day....... blan franse mele ak blan merikin ak lot neg, they got him.

L' Union Fait La Force, in unity there is strength. That strenght was used by France with the assistance of other forces to remove President Aristide from Power. Instead of repaying the millions of dollars stolen from our ancestors  the French government financed part of the Haitian opposition, formed alliances with anti-Haitian groups to silence the Restitution idea.

Many of Prime Minister Latortue statements have been contrversial from his  position with Caricom, Jamaica, the insurgents and now siding with France against Haiti.

French soldiers are not welcome in Haiti, the UN and the US are sufficient.