Mr. Preval said after his arrival Thursday in Santo Domingo that the purpose of his visit was to maintain friendship with the Dominican people.

Mr. Preval was scheduled to meet with Dominican President Leonel Fernandez to discuss topics that include illegal immigration.

Up to a million Haitian workers are estimated to live in the more prosperous Dominican Republic, many of them illegally.

Mr. Preval's trip came before his official inauguration, an event expected on March 29, but likely to be delayed because no Parliament has yet been elected, a requirement for inauguration of the president in Haiti.