US embassy cable - 03SANTODOMINGO4656

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PARLACEN COURTS THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Identifier: 03SANTODOMINGO4656
Wikileaks: View 03SANTODOMINGO4656 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Santo Domingo
Created: 2003-09-02 21:24:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PREL PGOV EINT ETRD DR
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 004656 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EINT, ETRD, DR 
SUBJECT: PARLACEN COURTS THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
1. Central American Parliament (Parlacen) President Augusto 
Vela Mena, addressing a joint session of the GODR's National 
Congress in Santo Domingo August 27, announced that the 
proposed entry of the Dominican Republic into the System of 
Central American Integration had been forwarded to the 
presidents of the Central American nations for approval. 
Vela Mena, of Guatemala, advocated "political union" as a 
means for Central American and Caribbean nations to increase 
their clout in the international arena.  New Dominican Senate 
President Jesus Vazquez Martinez (PRD), in follow-on remarks, 
called for revision of Dominican law to authorize local 
election of Parlacen representatives. 
 
2. Vela Mena asserted that only by acting jointly in trade 
negotiations could Central America and the Caribbean gain 
access to the world's biggest markets.  The new speaker of 
the Dominican Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco (PRD), 
called on the region to embrace globalization and free trade 
to speed development and reduce poverty.  Senate President 
Vazquez acknowledged the importance of free trade, but 
cautioned that the Caribbean and Central America would need 
"reciprocity" from major partners in order to benefit. 
 
3. The joint session kicked off the XII Conference of 
Political Parties of Central America and the Caribbean.  The 
Parlacen delegation, in addition to Vela Mena, included vice 
presidents Rodrigo Samayoa Riva (El Salvador), Gladys de 
Carrasquilla of Panama, Leopoldo Navarro (Nicaragua), 
Fernando Lardizalbal (Honduras), and Soila Rojas de Tejada 
(Dominican Republic). 
 
4. Comment: Both Central American and Dominican 
parliamentarians appeared eager for regional integration. 
The Central Americans' attitude has evolved since their 
previous opposition to the Dominican Republic's proposed 
"docking" with CAFTA. 
KUBISKE 

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