US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO3979

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 003979 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND PM; SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, DR 
SUBJECT: ARTICLE 98 RATIFICATION PROGRESS IN DOMINICAN 
REPUBLIC 
 
REF: STATE 145167 
 
1. The Dominican Senate gave its approval to ratification of 
the Article 98 bilateral agreement on June 15 and forwarded 
the proposal to the lower house of Congress (Chamber of 
Deputies) for action.  The same day, the DCM urged Chamber 
Speaker Alfredo Pacheco (PRD) to ensure prompt approval and 
explained the reasons. 
 
2. Poloff on June 30 met with Chamber foreign relations 
committee chair Dr Cristian Paredes and urged speedy 
ratification, drawing on talking points reftel.  Paredes said 
he "guaranteed" that the Article 98 agreement, signed by the 
Dominican Republic on September 13, 2002, would be ratified 
by the lower house before the change of presidential 
administration August 16. 
 
3. Paredes had not yet seen the Article 98 paperwork, so we 
provided copies of the agreement in English and Spanish, 
President Mejia's transmission letter to the Congress 
recommending ratification, and a document certifying the 
Senate's recent approval.  Paredes said he would track down 
the document that had been forwarded from the Senate to the 
Chamber. 
 
4. Poloff offered to appear at committee hearings (as he had 
done prior to the Senate's approval) and to request 
participation by the MFA's legal adviser to make the case for 
approval.  Paredes foresaw no objections to the agreement and 
promised to do whatever he could to expedite the ratification. 
 
5. Poloff also spoke briefly with Speaker Pacheco and 
reminded him that the bill was now in the Chamber.  Pacheco 
expressed willingness to move ahead. 
KUBISKE