DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GATHERING COMMENTS ON OAS MLAT

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002195 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR SEARBY, L/LEI TORRES AND MUELLER JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA ORJALES AND ESTABROOK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KJUS DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GATHERING COMMENTS ON OAS MLAT AND PROTOCOL REF: STATE 98141 ¶1. Using reftel talking points, Embassy delivered on July 3 a demarche suggesting Dominican signature and ratification of the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (OAS MLAT) and associated Optional Protocol to Minister-Counselor Carmen Contreras of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office of Judicial Affairs, as well as Assistant Attorney General for Extradition and International Affairs, Gisela Cueto de Garcia. ¶2. Contreras indicated that she would be unable to comment definitively until after a thorough, multi-departmental review of both the MLAT and Protocol, but nevertheless suggested that she was unaware of outstanding issues that might block signature and ratification. Cueto spoke generally of excellent bilateral legal cooperation with Spain, Germany, and the United States in the absence of a multi-lateral MLAT, but did not rule out Dominican participation in either the OAS MLAT or the Protocol. ¶3. Embassy will report substantive Dominican responses when available. HERTELL