Dominican mission travels to the U.S. to discuss Free Trade

http://www.dominicantoday.com 10/10/06

Santo Domingo.- A Dominican mission headed by Industry and Commerce minister Francisco Garcia travels today to Washington, D.C. in pursuit of ironing out final details with U.S. officials on implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the United States (DR-CAFTA).

Garcia is to travel with a team made up of Guarocuya Felix, director of the National Planning Office; Vilma Arbaje, director of Foreign Trade, and Enrique Ramirez, director of the National Industrial Property Office.

The native mission will meet with State Department under-secretary for the Western Hemisphere Tom Shannon and with U.S. Trade Representative assistant Everett Eissenstat , who is responsible for DR-CAFTA matters and all trade agreements that the United States negotiates in the Americas.

The Dominican team will also make a courtesy stop at the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, where locals will meet with representatives from the private sector there.

The mission will pursue expedition and completion of the revision process of text regarding the accord that was required by U.S. trade authorities, but which has yet to be returned to Dominican authorities.