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NewsWhore
01-25-2011, 06:30 PM
President Rene Preval of Haiti visited the DR on Saturday, 22 January and held a three-hour meeting with President Leonel Fernandez.

Hoy reported that the Haitian President arrived by helicopter, without a tie, and caught the Presidential Palace press corps by surprise. According to Hoy newspaper, Preval came to the DR to discuss the tense political situation in Haiti and the cholera epidemic that has killed over 3,800 people there.

Preval was accompanied by his Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive, and the Dominican ambassador in Haiti, Ruben Silie. Preval's helicopter was escorted by another one full of heavily armed troops. There was a distinct lack of formality, and the Presidential Guard, while in attendance, did not present the full display for a visiting Head of State.

According to the newspaper, Preval's visit may have been prompted by the sudden appearance of former dictator Jean Claude Duvalier in Haiti, as well as the current political instability there. A second round of voting is due to take place and Preval is due to step down on 7 February. There is speculation about the possibility that another ousted Haitian leader, former President Jean Bertrand Aristide, who has been in exile in South Africa since 2004, might also be planning return to Haiti.

Meanwhile, in Santo Domingo, a WikiLeaks release is circulating with comments linked to the US Embassy on a possible return by Duvalier and Aristide to Haiti. The comments date back to 2006.

Saturday's visit took place two days before Fernandez is scheduled to leave for an almost two-week trip to Switzerland and India.

www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2189-haiti-politic-surprise-visit-of-rene-preval-in-dominican-republic.html (http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2189-haiti-politic-surprise-visit-of-rene-preval-in-dominican-republic.html)

www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2151-haiti-politic-the-haitian-government-refuses-to-renew-the-passport-of-aristide.html (http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2151-haiti-politic-the-haitian-government-refuses-to-renew-the-passport-of-aristide.html)

http://213.251.145.96/cable/2006/02/06SANTODOMINGO409.html

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