Organization of American States
www.oas.org

 

(E-022/02)

February 4, 2002

^{REMARKS OF AMBASSADOR LUIGI EINAUDI ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL} 

URUGUAY'S FOREIGN MINISTER CITES PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL
LAW AS MAJOR ASSET OF INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM 

           

          The Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI) got underway at the Organization of American States in Washington today with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Didier Opertti declaring that private international law is one of the greatest assets of the inter-American system. 

             Opertti, who was elected by acclamation to preside over the weeklong meeting, said that the process launched in Panama in 1975, "today clearly reflects the will to continue the progressive harmonization of laws in the region." 

            Noting the important array of issues on the agenda for the high-level government delegations and international experts, the Uruguayan Foreign Minister argued that "private international law complements initiatives by states to use the law to govern their relations." 

            Inaugurating the meeting, OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi observed that "CIDIP-VI represents a further milestone in the evolution of private international law in the Americas."  He added:  "It is encouraging, then, that CIDIP meetings have enjoyed great success since their inception over a quarter of a century ago….  In all, an extremely impressive 23 inter-American conventions and protocols have been adopted on matters which virtually cover the waterfront of private international law." 

                Chairman of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, Argentina's Ambassador Raúl Ricardes, said CIDIP stands out among hemispheric conferences "by its contributions to the system, to this Organization and to all the countries of the Hemisphere, but primarily by its very important contributions to the development of private international law in the Americas."  He also credited distinguished experts with contributing to accomplishments that have made CIDIP "indispensable to the development and codification of the rules of private international law."

 

**********