President Leonel Fernández is scheduled to start a 12-day international tour to Washington,D.C., New York, San Francisco, California, St. Louis, Missouri and Taipei, Taiwan. The tour is described as having social, political and economic importance for the country. President Fernández will leave 22 September and return 4 October. Minister of Foreign Relations Eduardo Latorre released the following agenda of the statesman and his committee: 22 September, Washington,D.C. Visit to the US Congress to lobby for the passing of the Caribbean Basin Enhancement Bill. The bill would include provisions so that apparel assembly plants and other local industries can compete with Mexico, that is a signatory of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The bill has the support of Central America. Central American presidents will also be in Washington, D.C. at the time to lobby for the bill. The DR is in a worse competitive position than Central American apparel producers, because these can import cheaper Asian materials, thus reducing costs. The DR is limited to using the higher priced US textiles in its apparel production lines. Producers fear they will continue to lose contracts due to the resulting higher production costs. In Washington, President Fernández will meet with the Interamerican Dialogue members to discuss regional topics. He is also scheduled to meet with the president of the Interamerican Development Bank, Enrique Iglesias, who will host a dinner attended by ambassadors, international organization leaders and political and economic figures based in Washington,D.C.. Also on his Washington agenda is a meeting with the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States. 23 September, New York City President Fernández will travel to New York City to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. President Leonel Fernández will address statesmen and foreign ministers on 23 September during the 54th General Assembly of the United Nations. He will address issues he considers crucial for humanity in the next millennium, specifically the role the UN will play to reduce the gap between wealthy and poor countries. In New York he will offer a reception in honor of the representatives of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific nations signatories of Lomé Convention. Santo Domingo will host the II ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government in November 1999. 24 September, Boston President Fernández will travel to the University of Harvard, in Boston, where he will be recognized for his government’s efforts to strengthen Dominican democracy, intercultural relations as well as his regional leadership. He will receive the Harvard Foundation Award. 25 September, Taipei, Taiwan He will travel to Taiwan to sign agreements and cooperation projects in education, environment and health. In Taipei he will meet with President Lee Teng-hui and other high ranking officers. The object of the meeting is to present the DR as an excellent place for investment, emphasizing high tech industries. President Fernández will visit the Hshinsu Industrial Scientific Park and the Industrial Technology Research Institute. Fernández envisions setting up a high-tech industrial park in the DR. 29 September, San Francisco, California Meetings are scheduled with executives of high tech US firms, most located in the Silicon Valley. President Fernández will present investment opportunities in the DR. He will be honored at the Candlestick Stadium, home of the San Francisco Giants. This will take place during the last game held at the historic stadium that will soon be demolished. The event is organized by Manuel Mota, coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and players Raúl Mondesí, Adrián Beltré, José Vizcaíno, and Robinson Pérez Checo. 2 October, St. Louis, Missouri President Fernández will be present at the last game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. His presence is a token of solidarity on behalf of Dominicans to Sammy Sosa, who has written baseball history. Members of the presidential committee are: Eduardo Latorre, Minister of Foreign Relations; Temístocles Montás, Technical Secretary of the Presidency; Luis Manuel Bonetti, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Ligia Amada Melo, Minister of Education; Amílcar Romero, Minister of Agriculture; Juan Marichal, Minister of Sports; Vicente Bengoa, Superintendent of Banks. Also Eddy Martínez, executive director of the Office for the Promotion of Foreign Investment; Miguel Rosado, rector of the state university; and Gabriel Castro, director of the National Council of Free Zones. Businessmen that will be accompanying the President are Manuel Arturo Pellerano, Manuel Enrique Tavares, Aníbal de Castro, Manuel Alejandro Grullón, Ramón Báez Figueroa, Rafael Rivas, Andrés Dauhajre, Monsignor Agripino Núñez Collado, Rafael Toribio, Gustavo Rojas, Felix García, Fernando Capellán, Luis M. Pellerano, José Clase, Angel Rosario and Arturo Peguero. The presidential team is made up by General Hernán Disla, chief of the Corps of Military Assistants; Adriano Miguel Tejada, Press Secretary; Darcio Andújar, special assistant; Danilo Pérez, personal secretary; Natasha Despotovic, assistant to the president; and Ana Martínez, special assistant to the Minister of Foreign Relations.
