Bill Clinton urges Dominicans, Haitians to ease the tension

Santo Domingo.- Former U.S. president Bill Clinton on Wednesday urged Dominicans and Haitians to surmount the tension unleashed by the Constitutional Court ruling, and lauded Santo Domingo’s aid during the January 2010 quake which killed more than 300,000 and levelled Port-au-Prince.

Interviewed by CNN en Español, Clinton said if the tension continues both nations’ development would be jeopardized, and noted that both countries worked like a family to deal with the catastrophe unleashed by the tremor.

He said the Constitutional Court ruling, which deprives Dominican nationality to thousands of Haitians’ offspring, has created many problems. "I think that both Governments now have to resolve this issues and I’d encourage them to do so."

Clinton, who often vacations on the country’s east region, added that Haitians admire Dominican Republic’s development in recent years and are even trying to follow those steps, especially the tourism industry.