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SANTO DOMINGO.- United Nations secretary general
Kofi Annan today Friday defined as "extraordinary" Dominican Republic’s
advances in the matter of implementing the Objectives of the
Millennium, established by the UN.
The UN Secretary General, the first to visit the
country since the entity was founded, cautioned that many countries
will not be able obtain those objectives before 2015 unless they hasten
the alliances with the developed nations.
He said that a nation which prospers is built on
citizens who have good health and education and affirms that in
Dominican Republic, under Leonel Fernandez’s Administration, this on
the suitable path.
He pointed out that few countries in the world
which register situations of poverty such as Dominican Republic have
obtained such advances.
Annan said that the idea of creating a
presidential commission to coordinate between the government with the
congress is excellent since this it’s the latter which approves the
budgets, "once they have accepted that it’s a long term proposal, I
hope that the budgets exist to obtain the Objectives of the
Millennium."
The UN Secretary General spoke during a ceremony
in the National Palace, where the country’s advances in the attainment
of the Objectives of the Millenniums were presented.
For his part, president Fernandez -after greeting
him with a "How are you?" in English- strongly praised Annan and also
criticized the Lebanon-Israeli conflict, stating that that type of
situation directly affects the Dominican Republic because it increases
the price of petroleum.
ARRIVES IN DR ONE DAY LATER THAN SCHEDULED
FILE. - UN Secretary General Koffi Annan arrived
today in Dominican Republic, where he will meet with the president
Leonel Fernandez, and with representatives of the country’s legislative
and judicial branches.
Annan and his wife Nane were received in the Las
Américas International Airport by the Dominican Foreign Ministry
officials, and by UN System resident coordinator in the country, Niky
Fabiancic, reported the local media.
In the Dominican capital, Annan will be apprised
of the Government’s advances in implementing the Development Objectives
of the Millennium, and will meet with Fernandez.
The UN Secretary General will also speak with the
presidents of the Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies, as well as
with the Chief Justice of the Dominican Supreme Court.
Annan yesterday postponed for one day his visit
to Dominican Republic, due to the adverse weather conditions in Haiti,
where he went on an official visit.
The UN chief’s first visit to this Caribbean country will last 24 hours.
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