PRESS RELEASE (E-141/01) COSTA RICA ASSUMES CHAIR OF OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL
Assuming the chair of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council today, Costa Rica's Ambassador Hernán R. Castro H. said the proposed Inter-American Democratic Charter and evaluation of the inter-American human rights system will be at the top of the hemispheric agenda for the next few months. Ambassador Castro, who succeeds his Colombian counterpart, Humberto de la Calle, described the OAS as "the ideal political forum where all the nations of the Hemisphere are represented. There we can deliberate and find solutions to our problems." He added that the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development has an important role in channeling more assistance towards those countries with the weakest economies. "We have a social responsibility to restore rights to those who have the least." The outgoing Permanent Council Chairman, meantime, observed that the Organization's agenda has benefited from the Summit of the Americas held in Quebec City, Canada, last April; President [George] Bush's visit to the OAS; and the OAS' recent General Assembly in Costa Rica. "I feel the OAS is growing and moving forward, showing dynamism, energy and decision-making capability," de la Calle said. The chair of the Permanent Council- rotating every three months-follows the alphabetical order of the member states. Guyana's Ambassador Odeen Ishmael will be the vice chair of the Council for the period.
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