President Barack Obama and President Leonel Fernandez spoke for seven minutes following their half an hour meeting at the White House today, 12 July 2010. From their words, the most important issue discussed could have been cooperation to combat drug trafficking.
President Obama was emphatical when he said that there had been "great cooperation" with the DR but that "more needs to be done." He said that Fernandez and himself had discussed how a better job could be done coordinating multinational movements, with a focus on both the supply side and the demand side of the equation.
President Fernandez concurred that one of the major concerns re US-DR relations has to do with drug trafficking and transnational crime and the violence these criminal activities have generated. "I think the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative is a right path forward and needs to move into a more collaborative environment with other Caribbean nations, Central America and Mexico," he said commenting on their closed doors conversations.
Interestingly, the Presidents, in the style of Dominican President Leonel Fernandez who has for months evaded journalists, refused to answer journalist questions from the floor. It had been announced that President Obama would "hold a joint press availability with President Fernandez in the Oval Office."
CNN/Time also observed the no questions decision by President Fernandez.
http://thepage.time.com/pool-report-obama-with-president-fernandez-july-12-2010/
See the joint statement to the press made by the Presidents at:
C-SPAN Video Player - Pres. Obama Meeting with Pres. Fernandez of the Dominican Republic
President Obama was emphatical when he said that there had been "great cooperation" with the DR but that "more needs to be done." He said that Fernandez and himself had discussed how a better job could be done coordinating multinational movements, with a focus on both the supply side and the demand side of the equation.
President Fernandez concurred that one of the major concerns re US-DR relations has to do with drug trafficking and transnational crime and the violence these criminal activities have generated. "I think the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative is a right path forward and needs to move into a more collaborative environment with other Caribbean nations, Central America and Mexico," he said commenting on their closed doors conversations.
Interestingly, the Presidents, in the style of Dominican President Leonel Fernandez who has for months evaded journalists, refused to answer journalist questions from the floor. It had been announced that President Obama would "hold a joint press availability with President Fernandez in the Oval Office."
CNN/Time also observed the no questions decision by President Fernandez.
http://thepage.time.com/pool-report-obama-with-president-fernandez-july-12-2010/
See the joint statement to the press made by the Presidents at:
C-SPAN Video Player - Pres. Obama Meeting with Pres. Fernandez of the Dominican Republic
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