Representatives of the three major political parties – the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the Reformist-Social Christian Party (PRSC) – met yesterday with President Leonel Fern?ndez at the National Palace and agreed on several agenda items for the political dialogue convened by the President. According to Monsignor Agripino N??ez Collado, the Catholic Church representative invited to be "observer, witness, moderator and spokesman" (but not mediator as in past dialogues), the three-hour meeting was completely cordial and civil. President Fern?ndez suggested that the dialogue formulate a "Patriotic Pact" to guarantee democratic stability and peaceful and fair presidential elections in the year 2000. He also asked that the dialogue discuss the social and economic reforms needed, proposals for many of which his government has already made to Congress. Further, he suggested that the dialogue consider agreeing that a Constituent Assembly to reform the Constitution be convoked on May 16, 2001, exactly one year after the election of the next President. For its part, PRD suggested that the dialogue agenda include the election of the Secretary-General (SG) of the Dominican Municipal League (LMD) and the composition of the Central Election Board (JCE). The PLD and PRSC suggested putting the election of the Chamber of Deputies directorate on the agenda, as well as the selection of the Chamber of Accounts (C?mara de Cuentas). All these items are agreed. The dialogue will next convene in the National Palace at 6:00 pm on Friday.Representing the PLD in this first round were its SG, Lidio Cadet, Secretary of the Presidency Danilo Medina, Tourism Minister F?lix Jim?nez, and Jos? Joaqu?n Bid? Medina. The PRD delegation included PRD President Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero, plus Tony Raful, Ivelisse Prats Ram?rez de P?rez, Hugo Tolentino Dipp and Vicente S?nchez Baret. The PRSC delegation included Political Secretary Federico Ant?n Batlle, Jhonny Jones, Alexis Joaqu?n Castillo and Ram?n Rogelio Genao. PRSC chief Donald Reid Cabral did not attend for health reasons.
