Dominican Republic-Haiti talks resume in tense calm

Santo Domingo.- Against tough odds and under tense calm across Hispaniola the third round of Dominican Republic-Haiti talks postponed four times is slated for 10am (11am Dominican time) tomorrow Thursday at a hotel in Petionville, Port-au-Prince.

The issue of immigration continues to top the agenda which the High Level commissions from both countries will carry out and even more so after the third round of talks was postponed.

Some sectors blame Dominican authorities for allegedly reneging on the promise made in the first round to a bill submit Congress in February, to benefit people of Haitian descent jeopardized by the Constitutional Court (TC) ruling on the right to Dominican nationality.

With the long-awaited meeting just hours away the bill has yet to be submitted and the Dominican Government continues to claim that the piece sent to Congress one month ago, "advances."

Presidency administrative minister Jose Ramon Peralta called the expectations for Thursday’s meeting good. "That’s not a topic that I work with, but I understand that it’s going well."

The first meeting between representatives from both Governments was held January in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, and the second in Jimaní in February. Presidency chief of staff Gustavo Montalvo headed the Dominican Commission, while Haiti PM Laurent Lamothe headed the representatives form Port-au-Prince.

Governments expect to forge several pacts

Among the topics to be discussed at the meeting, in addition to immigration, are health, tourism and trade.

The resumed talks have served to smooth out the ruffled feathers and tension unleashed by the Court ruling.