Haiti ban on Dominican products violates pact, officials say

Santo Domingo.- The ministerof Foreign Affairs Andrés Navarro and of Industry and Commerce Jose delCastillo on Monday called the Haiti government ban the entry by land of 23Dominican products, discriminatory, and assert it violates a memorandum ofunderstanding the two countries signed last year.

They said Port-au-Prince´s measure was submittedSeptember 29 to the World Trade Organization´s (WTO) Access to Markets Committee

Navarro said the banon Dominican products by Haiti hinders overland commerce between the twonations, noting that Dominican Republic´s complaint is backed by Panama,Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Colombia.

The official stressedthat the measure was not notified to the Dominican government despite takingeffect Oct. 1, and bans 23 products such as flour, cement, cooking oil, soap, detergent,bottled water and auto paints, among others.