PRESIDENT PREVAL VISIT

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001729 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM ELAB DR SUBJECT: PRESIDENT PREVAL VISIT ¶1. (SBU) On July 12th President Rene Preval of Haiti completed a 10 hour visit to Santo Domingo. This was his third trip to the country since his election in February ¶2006. His agenda included attending a program at FUNGLODE, a 40-minute lunch with President Fernandez in the national palace, and a visit to Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD). The topics announced for the visit were the environment, the war on drugs, and a celebration of the Haitian intellectual Jacques Roumain. The visit aimed to increase the linkages between the two countries. President Fernandez was quoted as saying that the visit was exceptional. We will report further on Preval's visit by Septel. -------------- Improved Links -------------- ¶2. (U) Preval arrived at the airport of the Americas with his Minister of culture and the Environment, Daniel Elie, the presidential advisor, his chief of security, as well as the Dominican Ambassador en Port-au-Prince Jose Serulle Ramia. Dominican government officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports had just returned from meetings in Port au Prince with the Haitian government. Among the proposals discussed was an intercultural exchange program between the countries. -------------- Celebration of Roumain -------------- ¶3. (U) FUNGLODE, a non-governmental organization founded by President Fernandez, hosted the conference entitled "The Value of the Work of Jacques Roumain." The event included Leo-Francois Hoffman, professor of French and Haitian literature at Princeton University, who led a presentation about Roumain. The talk was given to senior members of the Dominican government as well as Haitian dignitaries. Jacques Roumain is considered among the most notable and significant figures in Haitian literature, and is famous for his book "Masters of the Dew" which has been translated into 32 languages. During the conference President Fernandez stated, "The conference presented us with a great opportunity to strengthen the fraternal links that should exist between Haiti and the Dominican Republic through culture. Later in the day Fernandez and Preval led a talk at UASD where an auditorium of cheering Dominican and Haitian student greeted them with flags. -------------- Creation of Biological Corridor -------------- ¶4. (U) During the visit Max Puig, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources announced the "Declaration of Santo Domingo", which is a joint agreement Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Cuba recently signed concerning the environment. The goal is to create a biological corridor with the help of the United Nations. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) This visit is a step in the right direction. Even so, the Dominican government refuses to acknowledge a "racism" problem, though racism against Haitians and darker skinned persons in general does exist in the country. This appears to be the result of the denial of African roots in the Dominican Republic that has occurred throughout the nation's history. Expressions of anti-Haitian sentiment are common at all levels of society and there are occasional incidents of Dominican violence against Haitian immigrants. During this brief visit nothing controversial was discussed, but the message was one of mutual respect and willingness to work together. BULLEN