Organization
of American States
Press
Release
(E-203/01)
October
2, 2001
ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE OAS SECRETARY GENERAL’S
Organization
of American States (OAS) Secretary General, Cesar Gaviria, announced
today the establishment of a Group of Friends on Haiti to assist in
efforts to resolve the difficulties in Haiti. The
formation of the Group of Friends was mandated by the 31st
Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly in Costa Rica, which invited
“the Secretary General to establish a Group of Friends on Haiti from
interested OAS member states and permanent observers.…” An
informal grouping of friends strongly supported the last round of
negotiations in Port au Prince in July.
Subsequent consultations at OAS Headquarters have led to the
formation of the Group of Friends consisting of the following OAS
member states: Argentina,
Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico,
the United States and Venezuela, as well as France, Germany, Norway and
Spain in their role of Permanent Observers. The
Group of Friends on Haiti will be an informal advisory group to the
Secretary General. It will provide support for the various
activities explicitly mandated in the General Assembly Resolution,
(AG/RES. 1831/(XXXI-0/01)), such as those relating to the strengthening
of democracy, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the
social and economic development of Haiti. The Group of Friends will also
help to represent views and issues to the political authorities in Haiti
and to the Haitian people, and in this regard, would help prepare
resolutions or proposals to be presented to OAS political bodies. Consultations
continue in Haiti regarding the resumption of negotiations to resolve
the current difficulties in Haiti.
The establishment of the Group of Friends should accelerate this
process. ********** |