In a meeting held yesterday, the ruling body of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), "the Presidium," decided against returning to the political dialogue with the Fernández Government sponsored by the Catholic Church. The Presidium declared that the PRD will join no type of conversation whatsoever with the Government until "current conditions" change. Presidium member Tony Raful told the press that this means that the Fernández Government must (1) drop its opposition to renaming the national airport after ex-PRD leader and presidential candidate Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez; (2) drop its opposition to the current members of the Central Election Board (JCE); (3) stop dragging its feet on paying the JCE its operating funds. Presidential pre-candidates Hipólito Mejía and Rafael Suberví said yesterday that they would favor the PRD returning to talks.
