SANTO DOMINGO.- The 13 leaders who will arrive in Dominican Republic today to take part in the 20th Summit of Heads of State of the Rio Group are expected to debate the diplomatic crisis between Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.

Yesterday the national coordinators of the member countries made the technical revision of the documents, positions and topics the Foreign Relations ministers and the chief executives will discuss starting today, to be stated in the Declaration of Santo Domingo.

The delegates worked on the points to bolster the Rio Group, the report on Financing for Development; a statement on Argentina's claim of sovereignty over the Falkland islands; cooperation and energy integration, and solidarity with the countries affected by natural disasters in 2007.

The requests for membership in the forum were heard, which in addition Haiti (invited country of honor) and Guyana

The Dominican Foreign Relations Ministry said the presidents Cristina Fernandez (Argentina), Alvaro Uribe (Colombia), Michelle Bachelet (Chile) Felipe Calderón (Mexico), Bharrat Jagdeo (Guyana), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua) Alvaro Colom (Guatemala), Elías Antonio Saca (El Salvador), Hugo Chávez (Venezuela), Manuel Zelaya (Honduras), Rafael Correa (Ecuador), Martín Torrijos (Panama) and Haiti prime minister Jacques Edouard Alexis have confirmed their attendance.

The chief executive host, Leonel Fernandez, will head the inaugural at 9:30 a.m. Friday, with a speech broadcast abroad via satellite.

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