US embassy cable - 05SANTODOMINGO4215

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 004215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/ESPC, INR; NSC FOR SHANNON; 
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD; TREASURY FOR OASIA-MAUREEN 
WAFER; USDA FOR FAS; USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN 
BASIN DIVISION; USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH; DHS FOR 
CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI; 
STATE PASS USTR FOR VARGO AND MELITO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, PREL, DR, PGOV, CAFTA 
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RATIFIES DR-CAFTA 
 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  The Dominican Republic on September 6, in a 
vote in the lower house of Congress, ratified DR-CAFTA.  All 
that remains are steps expected to occur promptly:  A 
"protocolary act" to be signed by President Fernandez and 
publication of the DR-CAFTA text in the Official Gazette. 
The strong majorities achieved in both houses of Congress 
bode well for legislaton that will be needed for DR-CAFTA 
implementation.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) The lower house of the Dominican Republic's Congress, 
the Chamber of Deputies, voted September 6 to ratify the 
nation's adherence to DR-CAFTA, the regional free trade 
agreement with the United States, signed by the Dominican 
Republic on August 5, 2004.  The vote was an overwhelming 122 
in favor, 4 against (from the opposition PRD), with 20 
abstentions.  All three main political parties instructed 
their legislators to ratify. 
 
3. (U) The Dominican Senate had voted to ratify DR-CAFTA on 
August 26 by a vote of 27 in favor and 2 against, so the 
September 6 vote in the Chamber of Deputies was the last 
political hurdle for ratification. 
 
4. (U) According to our contacts, few steps remain before 
DR-CAFTA (a treaty for the Dominican Republic) becomes law: 
Congressional transmission of the ratification to the 
Presidency, signature of a "protocolary act" by President 
Fernandez, and publication of the treaty text in the Official 
Gazette.  These are expected to occur promptly. 
 
5. (U) The Ambassador, an hour and a half after the vote, met 
with Chamber of Deputies president Alfredo Pacheco (PRD) and 
some 20 other legislators and congratulated them on their 
decision to ratify, which he said would transform trade 
relations between the Dominican Republic and the United 
States.  Former Dominican Institute of Telecommunications 
(INDOTEL) president Orlando Jorge Mera, one of the Dominican 
negotiators of the treaty, was on hand as the current PRD 
secretary general.  (Comment:  He had evidently attended the 
 
SIPDIS 
session to encourage PRD legislators -- the strongest bloc in 
the chamber -- to vote yes.  End comment.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
6. (U) The ratification vote culminates more than three years 
of effort by the Embassy, Washington, and Dominican officials 
of two administrations to prepare the country for inclusion 
in DR-CAFTA, negotiate and sign the text, and convince 
Dominican legislators against determined efforts by 
special-interest lobbies fearful of the treaty's impact.  In 
the end, after many diversions and delays, the ruling PRD of 
President Fernandez and the main opposition parties, 
especially the PRD of former President Mejia (whose 
administration had negotiated and signed DR-CAFTA), put aside 
partisan squabbling and achieved strong majorities in both 
houses of Congress.  This strong mandate bodes well for 
cooperation on legislation, such as fiscal reform, which will 
be needed in connection with implementation of DR-CAFTA. 
HERTELL