US embassy cable - 05SANTODOMINGO4038

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 004038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/EPSC, EB/TPP/BTA/EWH; OES FOR 
SPERLING; DEPT PASS USTR FOR KYLER, BURR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: DR, ETRD, SENV, USTR 
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:  VISIT OF USTR REPRESENTATIVE 
FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, MARA BURR 
 
REF: E.O 12958: N/A 
 
1. Summary:  Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for 
Environment and Natural Resources Mara M. Burr, described 
U.S. policy and procedures to Central American and Dominican 
trade and environment officials meeting at a conference on 
Environmental Sustainable Development, August 11-13. In 
meetings with Dominican officials Burr found the Dominicans 
considering themselves somewhat excluded by the Centrals and 
found the Dominican administration suffering from internal 
coordination problems.  In the international discussions Burr 
noted the lack of "anti-DR-CAFTA" or "anti-US" comments.  The 
political rhetoric during the question and answer session was 
kept to a minimum. End Summary. 
 
2.  Deputy Assistant USTR for Environment and Natural 
Resources Mara Burr engaged Central American and Dominican 
environment and trade officials August 11-13 in the context 
of an international conference on environmental sustainable 
development sponsored by the Commission for International 
Integration of Central America??? (CIEMADeS).  On August 11 
at a breakfast meeting Burr and EST officer Olga Luciano, 
Director of Planning in the Dominican Ministry of Natural 
Resources and the Environment commented that the Ministry has 
been trying to incorporate environmental issues into all of 
government planning.  This has not been an easy task because 
the Environment Ministry is only five years old.  Other 
ministries do not necessarily understand the environmental 
implications of their decisions and the need for 
coordination.  She said environmental planning should feature 
in long-term development planning.  She finds that ministry 
officials need training.  She favored the establishment of a 
special inter-ministerial committee on trade and the 
environment. This objective was mentioned  later by 
Ministry's Director for Soils and Water, Ernesto Reyna. 
Ministry Director of Environmental Quality Felipe Ditren 
participated in this meeting. 
 
3.  The first annual CIEMADeS Conference was held August 10 
-11.  Burr's presentation was well attended.  She explained 
the provisions of the DR-CAFTA Environmental Chapter and the 
Environmental Cooperation priorities.  Burr stressed that 
each Party commits to effective enforcement of domestic 
environmental law and to efforts to improve the environment. 
She stated it is inappropriate to reduce environmental laws 
as an encouragement for trade and investment.  She noted that 
a CAFTA country may be called to dispute settlement if it 
should fail to effectively enforce its environmental law in a 
sustained or recurring manner affecting trade between the 
parties. 
 
4.  A featured presentation was that on deforestation, given 
by Paul Latortue of the University of Haiti.  Latortue 
cautioned the audience against blaming Haiti's poor for the 
country's deforestation, given that deforestation has 
resulted from historical issues including colonization, 
postcolonial rule, collapse of the coffee trade, poverty, and 
lack of government infrastructure. Latortue stated that only 
3 percent of Haiti remains forested.  News coverage of the 
conference concentrated on Latortue,s message. 
 
5.  Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Max 
Puig attended the conference and commented in a 
question-and-answer session at the end that the Venezuela 
government just provided a USD 6 million environmental loan 
at terms so good that it was almost a gift.  Puig expects to 
use the loan for sustainable development projects, such as 
the proposed eco-friendly road to be developed in the "Los 
Haitises" national park on the Samana Peninsula. 
 
6.  Under Secretary of Industry and Commerce Marcelo Puello 
and staffers Hugo Rivera Santana and Yahaira Sosa Machado 
received Burr and emboffs on August 11.  Rivera complained 
that he had not been informed about the CIEMADeS conference. 
This lack of communication and coordination was symptomatic 
of the Dominican government, he said.  Rivera stated that the 
Dominican Republic had been disadvantaged because it had not 
been included along with the Centrals in the original 
framework discussions.  Rivera stated that the Environment 
Ministry is not well coordinated with respect to DR-CAFTA (or 
many other issues for that matter) because of its structure 
and the autonomous nature of each sub-secretariat.  He 
commented that Puig should nominate one person to coordinate 
all of his sub-secretaries.  Rivera found that this 
fragmentation also hurts the Dominican Republic within 
DR-CAFTA because it is not clear who is the appropriate point 
of contact or who possesses decision-making authority.  All 
three officials said that they have not seen the draft 
DR-CAFTA Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA) work plan 
that the Environment Ministry is working on.  Rivera said 
Under Secretary Puello has invited all CAFTA trade ministers 
to the Dominican Republic and none has responded.  It 
appeared that they were not interested. Burr undertook to 
reinforce with the Centrals the importance of including all 
the DR-CAFTA countries in discussions and decision-making. 
 
7.  At the end of the day Burr met Ernesto Reyna Alcntara, 
Environmental Ministry Director for Soils and Water.  Reyna 
was relatively quiet and his advisor Victor Venas did most of 
the talking.  The same issues were restated:  the Dominicans 
feel less than a full member of the DR-CAFTA and they hope 
that Burr can assist them. Venas asserted that Trade and 
Industry had indeed received a copy of the ECA working plan 
and he is certain that Sosa had a copy.  Ernesto Reyna is the 
point of contact both for both environmental implementation 
and the ECA for DR-CAFTA.  Venas commented on difficulties 
due to time zone differences and said that at times the 
Dominican Republic is excluded from Central American 
meetings.  Burr outlined procedures for administration 
through USAID and the Department of State of assistance funds. 
 
8. On August 12, Burr discussed enforcement matters with 
Police Col. Valerio Garcia Reyes who works in National Police 
on the environment portfolio.  Garcia expressed a need for 
assistance, saying that his division is well organized and 
has a clear vision of its requirements. 
MEIGS