NewsWhore
08-28-2009, 02:10 PM
President Leonel Fernandez says he is defending democracy in Latin America, not Dominican business interests in his stand on the Honduras political crisis. He rejected last night the statements from representatives of the business sector in Honduras that called his proposal to exclude Honduras from the Free Trade Agreement as "dirty and opportunistic".
Fernandez spoke in favor of the US stepping up the pressure and imposing trade sanctions on the Honduras coup regime during a meeting of the Central American Parliament group (Parlacen) in Santo Domingo. He proposed Honduras be suspended from the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement to pressure for the reinstatement of the government of Manuel Zelaya.
President Leonel Fernandez insisted that, on the contrary, the Honduran Council of Business (COHEP) should condemn the coup d'etat against Zelaya and support democracy, so that investments in manufacturing zones and other areas increase with the prevailing of political stability and social peace.
"Our interest is democracy, the reestablishment of democracy and not to do business," President Fernandez made clear through a statement issued by his press office. Fernandez said the DR would not accept any investment diverted here from Honduras.
He commented that what is at stake is the stability of democracy as a political system for all of Latin America. "This is because, due to the Honduran example, any political conflict or discrepancy can only be solved with a coup d'etat."
He argued that a collapse of the democratic system would provoke a stampede of foreign investments to the region and in consequence a return to increasing unemployment, poverty, social chaos and political violence.
Fernandez's statement for the suspension of DR-CAFTA trade privileges for Honduras came after the de facto government of Honduras rejected the mediation of the commission of foreign ministers promoted by the OAS as a way to follow the San Jose Pact. The commission would have been headed by Nobel Prize winner, President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
Fernandez spoke in favor of the US stepping up the pressure and imposing trade sanctions on the Honduras coup regime during a meeting of the Central American Parliament group (Parlacen) in Santo Domingo. He proposed Honduras be suspended from the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement to pressure for the reinstatement of the government of Manuel Zelaya.
President Leonel Fernandez insisted that, on the contrary, the Honduran Council of Business (COHEP) should condemn the coup d'etat against Zelaya and support democracy, so that investments in manufacturing zones and other areas increase with the prevailing of political stability and social peace.
"Our interest is democracy, the reestablishment of democracy and not to do business," President Fernandez made clear through a statement issued by his press office. Fernandez said the DR would not accept any investment diverted here from Honduras.
He commented that what is at stake is the stability of democracy as a political system for all of Latin America. "This is because, due to the Honduran example, any political conflict or discrepancy can only be solved with a coup d'etat."
He argued that a collapse of the democratic system would provoke a stampede of foreign investments to the region and in consequence a return to increasing unemployment, poverty, social chaos and political violence.
Fernandez's statement for the suspension of DR-CAFTA trade privileges for Honduras came after the de facto government of Honduras rejected the mediation of the commission of foreign ministers promoted by the OAS as a way to follow the San Jose Pact. The commission would have been headed by Nobel Prize winner, President Oscar Arias of Costa Rica.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)