(E-068/01)
March 23, 2001OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL COMMEMORATES THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SANTIAGO COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY
The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) will hold a special meeting on Monday, March 26, 2001 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Santiago Commitment to Democracy and the Renewal of the Inter-American System.
The meeting, which is part of the agenda proposed by the Government of Chile for the visit by that countrys president to the Permanent Council, will also be attended by the deputy foreign minister of Chile, Ambassador Heraldo Muņoz, and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, Bernard Aronson, who were both active participants in negotiating the declaration. The ambassadors of Argentina, Grenada, Mexico, and Peru will also take part.
Ten years ago today, the Santiago Commitment gave rise to resolution AG/RES. 1080 on Representative Democracy, which has been the main legal instrument available to the OAS for protecting democracy in the Hemisphere.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. and will be chaired by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile to the OAS, Esteban Tomic.
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