Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez saluted the Haitian governments decision to place more consulates in border towns. He said it is the responsibility of the Haitian government to issue identity documents to its citizens. Only 1.5 million Haitians out of a population of about 7 million have any legal ID documents. This creates major problems for the Dominican government when they cross the border into the DR. The Minister of Foreign Relations of Haiti Philippe Antonio Joseph has announced Haitis intention of opening the consulates to assist Haitians in the DR. A press release service, DPA, said that Joseph also urged Haitians to defend their rights in the DR.