The full range of U.S.-Dominican relations will be discussed at a series of high level inter-governmental meetings scheduled for Thursday, 26 October, according to a U.S. government press release. The visiting group of senior U.S. officials is headed by Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Peter F. Romero, who is the highest US diplomatic official in charge of US relations with Latin America. Interestingly, Romero?s first post in a long diplomatic career was in the Dominican Republic in 1977. Accompanying Romero will be Carl Leonard, Assistant Administrator of USAID; John Ross, Director of the Office of narcotics and Mary Trolan, Deputy Director of the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice; Bryan Samuel, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and Charles Peacock, Dominican Republic Desk Officer at the State Department. These meetings are planned as a follow-up to ideas that were discussed during an informal meeting between Romero and Dominican President Hip?lito Mej?a at a luncheon in the President’s honor hosted by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Andrew Cuomo on 7 September in New York City. Discussions will center on the promotion of democracy and human rights, economic and commercial ties, sustainable development and cooperation in law enforcement.
