DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: PREPARATIONS FOR CICTE MEETING

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000777 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/USOAS, WHA/PPC, AND S/CT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL AORC DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: PREPARATIONS FOR CICTE MEETING IN PORT OF SPAIN, FEBRUARY 16-18 REF: STATE 017684 Embassy officer followed up our fax and phone demarche (reftel) in a meeting February 11 with MFA UN, OAS, and international organizations division director Michelle Cohen, who is the point of contact for counter-terrorism issues. She said that she normally serves as the Dominican Government's designated representative to CICTE, but that the press of business had delayed a final MFA decision. On February 15 her office informed us that she was on her way to Port of Spain to attend the fifth regular CICTE meeting. The MFA also informed us that the Dominican Republic has not yet ratified the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism and has not submitted its annual report to CICTE. The Dominican Government has submitted the convention to the Senate, which is considering ratification. The last annual report to CICTE was submitted in 2003. HERTELL