According to US Joint Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Patrick Duddy, some rules and complementary laws must be refined to put the DR-CAFTA into effect, but he guaranteed that the treaty would start during this year as the different countries become prepared. The US official spoke to Listin Diario at the home of ambassador Hans Hertell. He stated that one of the requisites is the Contract Transfer Law, for distributor representatives, known in the DR as Law 173. Duddy explained that it is the US Trade Representative’s office that is in charge of analyzing the documentation sent in by the Dominican government. Prior to the interview, Duddy had met with representatives of sectors involved in DR-CAFTA, such as Kevin Manning, William Malamud, Luis Manuel Pellerano, Arturo Peguero, Luis Heredia Bonetti, and Vilma Arbaje.