President Leonel Fern?ndez will have a very intense international agenda during the first trimester of 1999. From 12 to 21 January, the President will be on tour in Europe. His European tour starts with a visit to Madrid where he will meet with the chief of government, Jose Maria Aznar. From there, he will travel to France to meet with President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jozpin as well as with the judges of the highest French court. He will also receive a Honoris Causa Doctorate from the Sorbonne University. During his visit to Paris he will visit the UNESCO. From Paris, he will travel to the Vatican, where he will be received by Pope John Paul II. His trip to Italy will end in Rome, where he will meet with the Italian president, prime minister, and the FAO directors. Once he returns, he will prepare for his trip to Caracas on 1 February to attend the swearing in of President Hugo Chavez. Chavez himself will travel to the Dominican Republic on 9-10 January to discuss bilateral agreements. In April, President Fern?ndez will host the Presidents of Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela, and the chiefs of state of the Caribbean and Central America, including Fidel Castro.
