Talks began in Santo Domingo yesterday with deputy ministers of foreign relations in charge of trade negotiations from Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador that would lead to the signing of a free trade agreement with Central America covering trade of goods, services and investments. The D.R. is promoting the signing of a Caribbean-Central American alliance that would create a market of 60 million persons, expand the export capacity of each nation and create new attractions in the region for foreign investment. Furthermore, the block would enable the region to be able to lobby for interests before international organizations, other regional trading groups and developed nations. Freddy Emam-Zade, deputy minister of the Dominican Republic, is the coordinator of the Dominican National Commission for Trade Negotiations.
