US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO5856

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005856 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/OAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KSUM, KCOR, KHIV, ETRD, SCUL, XL, XM, DR 
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: OAS AMB. MAISTO ADDRESSES FREE 
TRADE, ANTI-CORRUPTION, EDUCATION, HIV/AIDS, DEMOCRACY 
 
REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 5468 
 
     B. SANTO DOMINGO 5242 
     C. SANTO DOMINGO 5156 
 
1. (U) U.S. PermRep to the OAS Ambassador John Maisto, 
emphasized goals of the OAS Monterrey and Quebec Summits of 
the Americas in discussions with government, private sector, 
and NGO leaders and the media during his September 16-18 
visit to Santo Domingo.  He was accompanied by Ambassador 
Hertell, DCM Kubiske, USAID Director Brineman, and other 
Embassy staff. 
 
Free Trade 
---------- 
 
2. (SBU) At a dinner with business leaders and a breakfast 
with American Chamber of Commerce members, Ambassador Maisto 
stressed the importance of achieving legislative ratification 
of the regional free trade agreement signed August 5.  In 
this regard he outlined potential negative consequences of an 
anti-trade protectionist tax on fructose beverages which the 
Dominican Republic subsequently enacted (Ref A).  He and the 
Ambassador  stressed that this tax, if not removed, would 
kill chances for U.S. ratification and that the FTA 
negotiations could not be reopened.  Most of the business 
leaders acknowledged this reality but still were looking for 
a way outside of the agreement to satisfy interests of the 
local sugar industry.  The ambassadors also discussed this 
topic in a meeting with President Fernandez and Foreign 
Secretary Carlos Morales Troncoso (reported Ref B). 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Anti-Corruption 
--------------- 
 
3. (U) Ambassador Maisto emphasized anti-corruption in an 
address at the Global Foundation for Democracy and 
Development (www.funglode.org), attended by President 
Fernandez and Foreign Secretary Morales Troncoso and featured 
on national television news broadcasts; at a panel discussion 
at the MFA's Diplomatic School with Deputy Foreign Secretary 
Alejandra Liriano, other senior officials, and civil society 
leaders; at the AmCham breakfast; and in an exclusive 
full-page interview in leading circulation national daily 
"Listin Diario."  Maisto noted that an OAS committee of 
experts next March will evaluate the Dominican Republic's 
progress in implementing the Inter-American Convention 
against Corruption and thanked the country for its active 
participation in this process.  He stressed the corrosive 
effects of corruption on democratic institutions and on 
business confidence, citing the financial strains provoked by 
major bank fraud that was revealed here last year.  He 
reiterated the Monterrey Summit commitments to deny refuge to 
perpetrators of corruption from any country and bring such 
persons to justice.  The other leading dailies "El Caribe" 
and "Hoy" ran detailed stories on Maisto's anti-corruption 
message. 
 
Education 
--------- 
 
4. (U) At a lunch at Ambassador Hertell's residence, with 
Sub-Secretary of Higher Education Victor Hugo de Lancer, 
Secretariat of Education curriculum director Dinorah de Lima, 
 
SIPDIS 
university administrators, and an advisor to the Centers for 
Education in Teacher Training (CETT) Presidential Initiative, 
the guests emphasized teacher training and improved 
educational quality and equity as goals.  They cited 
particular needs such as English instruction at the 
elementary school level and training of math and science 
teachers.  Ambassador Maisto urged them to place their 
educational priorities on the Dominican agenda for the next 
summit of the Americas. 
 
HIV/AIDS 
-------- 
 
5. (SBU) Ambassador Maisto visited the Luis Eduardo Aybar 
Public Hospital, accompanied by Secretary of Health Dr. 
Sabino Baez Reyna, Presidential Commission for AIDS 
(COPRESIDA) executive director Dr. Alberto Fiallo, and 
hospital staff.  He visited the integrated care unit and 
talked with outpatients who are living with AIDS.  The visit 
left Embassy participants with the impression that this was a 
first contact with AIDS realities for many of the senior 
officials who met care providers and patients on the ward. 
 
Democracy 
--------- 
 
6. (U) In the panel discussion at the Diplomatic School and 
in the press interview, Ambassador Maisto referred to the 
requirements for democracy laid out in the Inter-American 
Democratic Charter, going beyond free and fair elections to 
respect for human rights, combating poverty, strengthening 
democratic institutions, and promoting a democratic culture. 
At the dinner, he addressed the broad problems facing the 
countr and how to strengthen democratic institutions. 
Business and AmCham leaders raised issues of rising crime 
(Ref C), social problems, justice system deficiences, and 
civil society development. 
HERTELL