WASHINGTON. President Leonel Fernandez met yesterday for 50 minutes with his counterpart from the United States, Barack Obama, in the Oval Office of the White House where the American president spoke highly of the contributions of by the Dominican community to the United States.

"I think the American people appreciate greatly the bonds between our two countries -- bonds that express themselves obviously in our extraordinary Dominican population, Dominican American population that we have here in this country", said Obama during a press conference he held with President Fernandez.

The American president also expressed his confidence that the Dominican economy shows good growth, as Brazil has shown and for which he hopes to support bilateral opportunities for business.

Regarding Honduras, Obama thanked the Dominican president and his administration for the positive mediation that was carried out by Leonel Fernandez to resolve the conflict in that nation, after the overthrow of President Manuel Zelaya. For his part, the Dominican leader said that there was a need for a greater definition by the international community in relation to coups d' état and for compliance with the Democratic Letter of the OAS as ways to discourage these antidemocratic actions.

Haiti

Regarding assistance to Haiti, the American president, praised the fast and opportune action by the Dominican president after the earthquake that desolated that nation last 12 January, "by this action hundreds of Haitian lives were saved".

As his side, Fernandez gave an account of the recovery efforts carried out in Haiti by the international community, while emphasizing the need for prompt assistance, fulfilling the commitment made at the Summit on Haiti that was held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Drug trafficking

Another of the issues talked about by the two presidents was citizen safety and the fight against drug trafficking in Central America and the Caribbean, wherein Fernandez explained that part of the drugs that are moved from some South American nations remain in the country and in Haiti. This, in turn, creates incentives for criminals. He suggested a global policy of cooperation and fighting against the scourge that threatens the security and social stability of the region.

"Our administration also makes efforts to apply policies that reduce the demand and the adaptation of measures to punish money laundering", said Obama.

In another order, the American president showed his interest in the Dominican Republic becoming the regional center for promoting projects of non-conventional energy generation, a plan for which he committed his administration's support so that the technology flows throughout the rest of the region.

Issue of Haiti goes to the UN

President Leonel Fernandez proposed to his United States counterpart, the celebration of a meeting at the United Nations to deal with the issue of the rebuilding of Haiti. Right away, Obama instructed his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, so that within the framework of the General Assembly, which will be held in September in New York, there is a meeting between the chiefs of state in order to further efforts for the application of an immediate recovery plan for Haiti. The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Valerie Jarrett, a special advisor, the Dominican Chancellor Carlos Morales Troncoso, the Dominican ambassador in Washington, Roberto Saladin and other officials took part in the meeting of the two presidents.

LF will give a conference today at GW University

The Dominican president arrived in Washington yesterday where he and his delegation spent the night at Blair House, the guest residence for official White House visitors. Today Fernandez has scheduled a conference at George Washington University. Fernandez returns to the country tomorrow after his long trip.

Obama referred to Dominican baseball

The President of the United States referred to the work being done in the Dominican Republic to prepare baseball players which have had outstanding performances in the Major Leagues. Barack Obama pointed out the friendship he has with Fernandez who he met at the Las Americas Summit held in Trinidad and Tobago last year. 

Source: Diario Libre