Cablegate: U.S.-Brazil Biofuels Demarche: Dominican Republic

VZCZCXRO1807
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHDG #1302 1512113
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 312113Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8411
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0250
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PRIORITY 2068
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0778
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 0978
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 2754
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO PRIORITY 1112
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 4632
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN PRIORITY 1814
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE PRIORITY 0002
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 0084
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 0044
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY 1671

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001302

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/ESC/IEC/EPC B HAENDLER, WHA/EPSC F CORNEILLE,
WHA/CAR, WHA/BSC; DEPT PASS USDA FOR FAS; USDOC FOR
4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION; USDOC FOR
3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ENRG PREL BR DR
SUBJECT: U.S.-BRAZIL BIOFUELS DEMARCHE: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
REMAINS INTERESTED

REF: A. STATE 73635

B. SANTO DOMINGO 0715

1. On May 31 Charge, accompanied by Brazilian Ambassador
Ronaldo Dunlop, delivered ref A demarche to Jose Manuel
Trullols, Chief of Staff to Foreign Minister Morales (Morales
briefly dropped by the meeting). Trullols was joined by MFA
Adjunct Ambassador Juan Pla Gomez.

2. Trullols welcomed the new information on the joint
Brazilian and U.S. offer of assistance in developing biofuels
capacity, as had Morales when the Embassy last delivered a
demarche on this subject (ref B). Trullols observed that
several positive factors are converging that will help
develop the biofuels sector, including interest from the
Dominican private sector and the U.S.-Brazilian initiative.

3. Trullols pledged to (i) brief the Foreign Minister on our
demarche prior to his departure for the OAS General Assembly,
and (ii) respond to the questions posed in the demarche.
Regarding establishing a point of contact in the Dominican
Government for follow up, the Chief of Staff said that the
decision would be made by President Fernandez. In fact,
because of the involvement in biofuels by multiple agencies
-- e.g. Foreign Affairs, Industry and Commerce, and the
National Energy Commission -- he is recommending that the
Foreign Minister have a broad discussion of biofuels issues
with the President. Trullols asked to be kept informed of
the planned visit of USTDA officers.

4. Ambassador Pla noted that the Dominican Republic and
Brazil had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on biofuels
cooperation in April, and expressed a desire to ensure that
any new accords signed by the Dominicans not be in conflict
with the MOU. (The MOU was approved yesterday by the
Dominican Congress.)

5. This report and extensive other material can be consulted
on our SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN

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