NODEL ENGEL'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT FERNANDEZ:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 001241 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR AND H E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM ECON KV HA DR SUBJECT: NODEL ENGEL'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT FERNANDEZ: BASEBALL, KOSOVO, HAITIAN COMMUNITY Classified By: P. Robert Fannin, Ambassador, Reasons 1.4(b),(d) Mets' Baseball Academy -------------- ¶1. (U) Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY),Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee of the HCFA, made a brief private visit to the Dominican Republic July 28-29. The Congressman traveled to attend the July 29 ceremonial opening of the New York Mets baseball academy in Boca Chica (20 miles east of Santo Domingo). The event was attended by President Fernandez, Ambassador Fannin, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and General Manager Omar Minaya, and other luminaries. ¶2. (U) The academy, which constitutes a US$8 million investment by an American firm in the Dominican Republic, will accommodate 76 players. In a press release, Wilpon said that, "The opening of the Mets' Dominican Baseball Academy is the next step in our baseball operation's player development efforts. We expect our new academy to become a destination facility for talented athletes to learn -- on and off the field -- through competition and education." Representatives of the Mets noted that 16 players have now received high school degrees through the academy's education program. During the July 29 event, two of the players were awarded their degrees on stage. ¶3. (U) Rep. Engel also participated in the academy opening's community outreach component, where baseball gloves were donated to underprivileged children in the city of Gautier. The gloves were distributed in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, CT. Kosovo and Haiti -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Rep. Engel and President Fernandez held a brief pull-aside meeting during the Mets' event, accompanied by the Ambassador and DCM. Rep. Engel noted that he has many Dominican-Americans in his congressional district and would like to be helpful. He then advocated for the Dominican Republic to recognize Kosovo. Fernandez replied that many countries in Latin America have been reluctant to recognize. He said that his country had not yet recognized any of the nations that used to make up Yugoslavia, but that they would be doing so one-by-one. Perhaps Kosovo could be recognized at the end of this process, so that it would not appear that his Government is singling out Pristina. ¶5. (C) Fernandez added that one of the concerns that had been expressed to him about recognizing Kosovo (he did not say by whom) was that the Dominicans could become vulnerable regarding the Haitian minority residing here. It is possible, Fernandez said, that ethnic Haitians could attempt to declare independence for part of Dominican territory. Rep. Engel and the DR -------------- ¶6. (U) Fernandez asked Rep. Engel if the Congressman planned to seek changes to his committee assignments after the November election. Rep. Engel replied that he did not, noting that he has a deep interest in the Dominican Republic. Rep. Engel noted that his December 2006 visit to the Dominican Republic was his first CODEL following the 2006 election, when he was the incoming Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee. He also said that he plans another visit soon. ¶7. (U) Congressman Engel did not have an opportunity to clear this cable prior to departing the country. (U) Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/ FANNIN