DR First Lady Cedeno's Invitation to Michelle Obama for

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000250 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OPDC DR HA SUBJECT: DR First Lady Cedeno's Invitation to Michelle Obama for Haiti Coalition ¶1. (U) Post has received a Diplomatic Note from the Dominican Foreign Ministry enclosing an invitation to First Lady Michelle Obama from Dominican First Lady Margarita Cedeno, soliciting Mrs. Obama's participation in a "Coalition to Aid Haiti". Post has scanned and e-mailed the original Spanish-language invitation to WHA/CAR at the State Department. Embassy's informal translations of the Diplomatic Note and invitation follow. ¶2. (U) Begin text of Diplomatic Note: Dominican Republic Secretariat of State for Foreign Relations DC. 3336 The Secretariat of State for Foreign Relations presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America, and takes advantage of this occasion to send the proposal of the Honorable Dr. Margarita Cede????o de Fern????ndez, First Lady of the Dominican Republic, to the Honorable Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States of America, to join in a "Coalition to Aid Haiti" through which they can promote novel events to raise funds for the reconstruction of the areas that, with the consensus of all, they decide to support. The Secretariat of State for Foreign Relations will very much appreciate the work of the Honorable Embassy in sending the present proposal to the First Lady of your country. The Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs avails itself of this opportunity to reiterate to the Honorable Embassy of the United States of America, the assurances of its highest consideration. Santo Domingo, N.D. ¶3. (U) Begin text of Letter of Invitation: PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC Office of the First Lady "Year of the National Economic Reactivation" 14682 January 26, 2010 Honorable Michelle Obama First Lady United States of America Dear Madam: Upon presenting my greetings to you and due to the catastrophe which the Republic of Haiti is going through, we resort to the feeling of fraternity that brings the American peoples together and to your human sensibility, so that within our role as First Ladies and as the supportive and human arms that we are to our husbands, we remain united to prompt actions that allow us to join the commitment of helping our brother nation of Haiti. We are called to be strong and sensible in difficult moments, to extend the hand that sustains the weakest and to help them rise again to give them back the hope and dignity to which every human being has the right. In this sense, I am proposing to you the creation of a coalition to help Haiti, through which we may promote novel events to raise funds for the reconstruction of the areas that with consensus we decide to support. I am sure that artists, painters, sculptors, architects, and designers from each of our countries would be willing to leave their legacy of generosity to the Haitian nation, through the beauty that art originates, this time in an unprecedented event that would elevate the values of solidarity and generosity that have characterized the peoples of America. Looking forward to your proposals, and motivated by the spirit of humanity and affection that has always united us, I reiterate my feelings of the highest consideration and personal esteem. Dr. Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez First Lady of the Dominican Republic ¶4. (U) Minimize considered. Lambert