NEW YORK.- President Leonel Fernandez’s proposal to create a block against speculation in food, energy and crude prices to be presented in the 66th UN General Assembly Thursday, could be approved sometime this year, affirmed secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday to the Dominican president during a bilateral meeting in the UN building in New York.

“It was a very warm meeting, where an atmosphere of understanding prevailed on the problem which is appearing. The secretary viewed it with great acceptance, and congratulated the Dominican Republic for taking that initiative," Fernandez said.

Interviewed by Dominican media, the Dominican leader also affirmed that Ban placed him in direct contact with his personal assistant, David Navarro, for the topic of Food Security, to work with Dominican Republic to get the resolution approved this year. "They consider it a topic of great importance for world peace and the maintenance of stability, and congratulated the Dominican Republic for placing the topic in the General Assembly agenda."

He said there’s been advance in the different aspects where the anti-speculation proposal can be weighed. “But there’s been sweeping recognition, I would say unanimous, in the sense that in fact, the financial speculation factor in the futures markets is affecting prices, of foods as of petroleum as well, and that’s an aspect which has to addressed, to be controlled and to be regulated, to reduce the impact it is having in ours economies."

With ContiGroup

A new follower joined Fernandez’s anti-speculation proposal yesterday in a meeting with Citigroup bank executives, who immediately pledged to send technicians to Dominican Republic next month to work with the government and seek economic solutions to mitigate prices volatility’s effects on Dominicans.