Private U.S. interests block Dominican entry in DR-CAFTA

http://www.dominicantoday.com 09/02/07

Santo Domingo.-National Competitive Council director Andres Van Der Horst attributed to private interests the fact that the Dominican Republic has not entered the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the United States (DR-CAFTA).

Van Der Horst afirmed that the country has met “all and more” of the prerequisites that the United States had demanded in order to allow the Dominican Republic's participation in the accord.

“Implementation of the agreement is in the hands of the United States. Several weeks ago, the Dominican Republic sent to the business office in Washington, the necessary documents with the latest amendments to legislations, thus completing all issues that had been lacking,” said Van Der Horst.

However, U.S. authorities have not announced the country’s inclusion into the accord. On the contrary, the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) office demanded information on resolution 148, by which the Industry and Commerce Ministry intervenes and regulates cancellations of fuel transport contracts between distributors and transporters.

With this resolution, Dominican authorities set the government’s position on the transnational Texaco-Chevron company’s decision to terminate transport contracts with local transporting firms, which is believed to have delayed launching of the accord.