President Fernandez confirmed yesterday that he decided to attend the Group of Rio Summit in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia after President Andres Pastrana called him to highlight the importance of that meeting. There, President Fernandez was entrusted with the presentation, "La Nueva Arquitectura Financiera Internacional." This is the first Group of Rio meeting attended by a Dominican statesman after the DR was admitted as a member with full rights in November 1999. Fernández explained that his participate will consolidate the role of the country in the process of regional integration. The DR is seen as the liaison between the Central American and the English-speaking Caribbean nations. The Group of Rio has 19 members. This would be Fernández’s 30th and last trip abroad. His term ends 16 August 1996. He will leave Thursday afternoon on a private plane and will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Relations Eduardo Latorre, Secretary of the Presidency Alejandrina Germán and Administrative Secretary of the Presidency Simón Lizardo. He has invited as special guests Belgica Adela Mirabal, who is the mother of Vice President Jaime David Fernández. Also, Diómedes Núñez, director of the National Library; historian Fernando Pérez Meném, director of La Información newspaper, journalist Cesar Medina and businessman Felix García.
