Former legislator Vinicio Castillo Seman says the Political Consultation Agreement President Danilo Medina says the government has signed with China is in violation of the Constitution. The terms of the agreement are not publicly known. The Fuerza Nacional Progresista (FNP) politician alerted the Chinese government had the Dominican government enter into the agreement prior to the signing of 19 bilateral agreements as a result of the official government mission to China on 1 November
In an interview with Xinhuanet, the official Chinese news agency, President Danilo Medina stated: “We have already signed a Political Consultation Agreement focused on working together at multilateral forums, and very soon we will have a mixed bilateral commission,” said Medina.
But Castillo expresses his concern that the agreement commits the absolute sovereignty that the Dominican state should have in making its own foreign policy decisions.
Castillo said the announcement of the signing of the Political Consultation Agreement comes at a time when precisely China takes on the presidency of the United Nations Security Council and the DR begins its term as a non-permanent member on the council. He said that decisions on foreign policy before the UN Security Council and before any other multilateral body cannot be subject to any consultations agreement with a foreign power because this is in violation to Art. 3 of the Dominican Constitution.
“No matter how important the Chinese investment projects in the DR can be and the loans that may be taken on in the future, President Medina cannot commit foreign policy positions by our country in any political consultations agreement,” he said. He added: “At a time when China has unfolded a regional political offensive, which is supporting dictatorships in Latin America such as Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, it is extremely serious that our country assume a commitment to act jointly and in consultation with China in matters of its foreign policy,” Castillo alerts.
Castillo called for the Constitutional Court to scrutinize the Political Consultation Agreement with China, before the National Congress ratifies it. He warned that the Chinese government had the government sign the political consultation agreement that commits foreign policy prior to the signing of the other agreements in Beijing.
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Listin Diario
Xinhuanet
5 November 2018
