The outgoing President of Colombia, Ernesto Samper completed a 24 hour official visit to the Dominican Republic over the weekend. This is the 11th President that visits the DR during the presidency of President Leonel Fernández that began 16 August 1996. President Samper arrived Saturday afternoon and departed Sunday afternoon on a Colombian Air Force jet. He was accompanied by his wife and a son. With him were also Hector Cintura, of the legal department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Alfredo Vargas, Minister for Justice and Law; Sandra Peñaloza Cuevas, District Attorney of the Nation, and Clara Amelia Castillo, Bank Superintendent. During his visit, he committed the Colombian government to sell petroleum products and cooperate in judicial matters regarding to money laundering. The Colombian government will also provide assistance to the National Library. The Acuerdo Interinstitucional de Cooperación Energética y Financiera covers the supply of coal and petroleum to Dominican power plants. The Colombian government will grant a credit of 20% on paid bills to be used to purchase Colombian goods and services. President Ernesto Samper said that Colombian investors are interested in financing the construction of thermoelectric plants that use coal. These would have lower production costs than most of those operating at the present time in the DR. President Leonel Fernández decorated President Samper with the highest honor granted by the Dominican government, the Orden al Mérito de Duarte, Sánchez y Mella, Gran Cruz Placa de Oro. President Samper reciprocated, decorating President Fernández with the Order of San Carlos, Grand Collar category. In his acceptance speech of the decoration, the President of Colombia said that until industrialized countries reduce their illegal drug consumption, the trafficking of drugs will continue to be a very attractive business. Presidential candidate and former minister of foreign affairs of Colombia, Noemí Sanín, said in Madrid while President Samper was in Santo Domingo that the latter should be taken to court at the end of his presidency.
