Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SANTODOMINGO879
2006-03-10 21:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: VISITING OAS SYG INSULZA

Tags:  DR PREL OAS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #0879/01 0692113
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 102113Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3987
INFO RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4164
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000879 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/USOAS, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO
FOR POLAD; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR PREL OAS
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: VISITING OAS SYG INSULZA
PROMOTES DEMOCRACY, AID TO HAITI

REF: SANTO DOMINGO 0841 (NOTAL)

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000879

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/USOAS, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO
FOR POLAD; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR PREL OAS
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: VISITING OAS SYG INSULZA
PROMOTES DEMOCRACY, AID TO HAITI

REF: SANTO DOMINGO 0841 (NOTAL)


1. Summary: OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, in a
visit to the Dominican Republic March 5-6, met with President
Fernandez and Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, spoke
at the opening events of the 23d Model OAS (March 5) and the
Regional Forum on Modernization of Legislatures and Political
Parties (March 6),and held a press conference. Insulza and
Fernandez addressed the need for reforms to strengthen
democratic institutions and rule of law in the hemisphere to
give citizens more confidence in their democracies, and
Insulza called for more rapid disbursement of international
aid to Haiti and continuing MINUSTAH deployment. There was
also a panel discussion of OAS headquarters staff and the
Dominican permanent representative to the OAS. The events
received extensive local press coverage. End summary.

Model OAS
- - - - - - - - -


2. Both Fernandez and Insulza addressed the opening of the
Model OAS and attended a gala dinner for the 300-some
university students from 9 countries, as well as Dominican
authorities, foreign diplomats, and press. Fernandez
delivered a strongly pro-democracy speech, but noted that
democracies in the region are handicapped by poverty and
inadequate access to public services and in some cases
democratically elected governments have not finished their
terms. He said full democracy does not exist where there is
a lack of housing, employment, quality education, health
care, and respect for human rights, including "guaranteed
social rights, the right to culture, the right to recreation,
and the right to enjoy the capacity to exercise mental
creativity." He praised the role of the OAS in promoting
democracy and human rights and specifically commended the
work of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the
Inter-American Human Rights Court, which guarantee individual
rights against the power of fhe state. (This was an elegant
touch, considering the controversy generated last year when
the IAHRC ruled against the Dominican government and
required payment of damages to two Dominicans of Haitian
descent who had for several years been denied identity
documents by the national authorities.)



3. Insulza in his speech defined democracy as including not
only fair elections, but also respect for human rights,
citizens' access to justice, transparency of government
procedures, and other elements set forth in the
Inter-American Democratic Charter. He emphasized the mandate
for the OAS and its member states to strengthen democratic
institutions. It was noted that the Model OAS was the first
of its kind to take place in the Dominican Republic and was
organized in collaboration with Dominican civil society
groups and educational authorities. The Model OAS held
sessions until March 9.

Forum on Political Reform
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


4. At the opening of the two-day Regional Forum, with an
audience of Dominican and other legislators, political party
laders, and diplomats, Insulza delivered the keynoe
speech, "Political Reform in Central America ad the
Dominican Republic: Advances and Challenge." He said
democracy requires parliaments, freeand fair electoral
institutions, competitive poltical parties, and independent
branches of goverment. He advocated institutional rreforms
beyon the electoral stability that many Latin American
countries have achieved: legislative reform, social equity,
public financing of election campaigns, representation of
citizens' interests rather than money-wielding lobbyists, and
"juridical security." The goal of the reforms should be "the
recovery of citizens' confidence in democracy." He
particularly commended the Dominican Republic's National
Dialogue, led by Catholic University rector Mons. Agripino
Nunez Collado, which for years has conducted working groups
of politicians and civil society on several of these topics.


5. At the same event, Dominican House of Representatives
sepaker Alfredo Pacheco denouinced the selfishness of elites
in the region, special influences on political parties,
clientelism and paternalism in elections, and a disregard of
political leaders for social inequalities. He called for
adaptation of democratic institutions to change these
realities, equal access to government services, the rule of
law, and better living conditions for the majority.
Dominican Senate president Andres Bautista sounded similar
themes and said that for the public to have greater
confidence in political parties, they would have to do a

better job of representing citizens' interests.

Haiti
- - - -


6. In the press conference, Insulza focused on Haiti. He
called for international donors to show "greater flexibility"
on conditions for loans or grants to Haitian reconstruction
and said democratization will not move forward without prompt
assistance to improve economic and social conditions.
Insulza said that the first test of the international
community's long-term commitment will be the renewal of
MINUSTAH's mandate. According to one press item, in response
to a question he replied that he would favor the transfer of
prisoners from Guantanamo to another location. However, he
reportedly noted that the OAS has never been involved in the
situation in Guantanamo because it is a bilateral issue.

OAS Functions and Priorities
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


7. A panel discussion on the present and future of the OAS
dealt with the organization's priorities; programs on human
rights, electoral observation, and promotion of democracy and
good governance; and the Permanent Council. Participants
included OAS headquarters officials Irene Klinger, Elizabeth
Spehar, and Steven Griner; OAS resident representative Bertha
Santoscoy; and Dominican permanent representative Roberto
Alvarez.


8. Insulza and Fernandez reportedly discussed logistics for
the scheduled June 3-6 OAS General Assembly in Santo Domingo
and related topics (reftel).
KUBISKE