President Hipolito Mejia stated that he will await the return of his Foreign Affairs Minister before taking a position on the request for political asylum by seven Haitian police officers who attempted a coup d?etat against the government of President Rene Preval. The seven were assisted in finding refuge by Dominican military personnel in the border cities of Dajabon and Monte Cristi, and are now said to be in custody in an unnamed military installation in Santo Domingo. Because Tolentino Dipp has been away from the country since before last week?s failed coup, Mejia has not had an opportunity to review the situation with him. Mejia met Preval at the Caracas summit last week but the subject of the seven officers was not brought up, the President said. All seven have petitioned to be allowed to remain in the Dominican Republic or be sent to Ecuador. Several treaties – some dating from the mid-nineteenth century – govern extradition between the neighbor nations of Hispaniola. The 1874 ?Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce, Navigation and Extradition? states that ?it will not be permitted or tolerated in their respective territories, the presence of any individual, group, or party whose purpose has been to disturb in any way the current order of things in the neighbor state.? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received the formal petition of Haiti for the return of the seven.
