DOMINICAN FM INVITES SECRETARY RICE TO REGIONAL

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001689 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR S/ES-CR, WHA, WHA/CAR. WHA/CEN, WHA/EPSC, EB, EB/ESC/IEC/EPC; NSC FOR HADLEY AND FISK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPDC PREL ENRGSD DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN FM INVITES SECRETARY RICE TO REGIONAL ENERGY SUMMIT JUNE 2-3 REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 333 ¶B. SANTO DOMINGO 238 ¶C. SANTO DOMINGO 267 ¶1. (SBU) Dominican Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso has formally invited Secretary Rice to attend a June 2-3 extraordinary meeting of the 8 countries that are members of the Central American System of Integration. The presidents of Colombia and Mexico are invited. Dominicans will consider the possibility of inviting the newly inaugurated president of Haiti. President Bush had previously been invited (Ref A) but declined. The President's decision not to attend became public knowledge only today in a front-page newspaper article in a leading Dominican daily. ¶2. (SBU) Reftels B and C provide background for the summit, which the Dominicans see as an opportunity to bring together heads of countries interested in Mexico's proposal of a Central American Energy Initiative. The Foreign Minister predicts attendees will be favorably disposed to the United States and hopes that holding the meeting just before the OAS General Assembly will strengthen the prospects for a favorable outcome from the OAS event. ¶3. (SBU) The note of invitation was delivered by the Foreign Ministry to the Embassy on May 23 under cover of a diplomatic note. Embassy understands that WHA/CAR (Searby) has a copy of this letter. Embassy is pouching the original to S/ES-CR. ¶4. (SBU) Embassy's informal translation of the text follows: (Begin Text) Carlos Morales Troncoso Secretary of State for Foreign Relations SIPDIS Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic May 15, 2006 Her Excellency Condolezza Rice Secretary of the Department of State SIPDIS United States of America Excellency: I have the honor to address you on the occasion of the Extraordinary Meeting of Heads of State and of Government for states belonging to the Central American System of Integration (SICA),and the Second Summit regarding the Mesoamerican Energy Initiative, to be held in La Romana, Dominican Republic, on June 2-3, 2006. In the name of the Dominican government as well as my own, I extend to you an invitation to accompany us in this important summit, where we will be discussing an important issue for our countries -- the theme of energy. With the hope of counting on your presence, let me take the occasion to reiterate the guarantee of my highest consideration. (signed) Carlos Morales Troncoso (Seal of the Foreign Ministry of the Dominican Republic) (End text of informal translation) KUBISKE