(E-069/01)
March 26 , 2001
OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL CELEBRATES TENTH ANNIVERSARY
OF HEMISPHERIC COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY
In a special program marking the tenth anniversary of the Santiago Commitment to Democracy and Strengthening of the Inter-American System, the member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) today reiterated the need for firm measures to strengthen democratic systems in the Hemisphere.
Chile's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heraldo Muñoz, hailed the Santiago Commitment and OAS Resolution 1080 on Representative Democracy, saying they "have staved off temptations of authoritarianism" and underscore the need for collective and peaceful means to defend democracy.
The Chilean dignitary suggested that the OAS should establish a special mechanism to support democracy through promotion, prevention and reaction. He added that "while the inter-American community has a vital role in bolstering democracy in our countries…a country's democracy is ultimately determined by its own leaders, political parties, business community, workers and civil society in general."
Former United States Undersecretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, Bernard Aronson, described the Santiago Commitment as "the finest hour of the OAS…in many decades." He observed that Resolution 1080 played a pivotal role in Haiti, Guatemala and Peru and represents "a first step," as the Organization seeks to reaffirm its role under the original framework drawn up ten years ago. He stressed that in order to strengthen Resolution 1080 real sanctions have to be discussed.
For his part, Argentina's Ambassador to the OAS Raúl Ricardes argued that representative democracy has spread significantly since the early 1980s. "Nowadays, no one hesitates to call on the OAS when the democratic system of a member state is under threat," he declared. The Argentinean diplomat called for a Permanent Council resolution "so that the ideas shared today are not inadvertently omitted from the informal dialogue of foreign ministers at the next OAS General Assembly."
In his presentation, Grenada's Ambassador Denis Antoine called for a new, holistic approach to incorporate economic, political and social elements. "Social progress in small states is not keeping in stride with economic change," he lamented, insisting that "small states must be assisted in instituting new reform measures to strengthen democracy."
For his part, Mexican Ambassador Miguel Ruíz-Cabañas pointed out that since the adoption of the Santiago Commitment ten years ago, "the legitimacy of democratic regimes has been significantly consolidated, although there are still pockets of instability and, in some cases, governance is lacking." He explained that while the human rights protection system is now stronger, certain states need to be more directly committed.
Citing his own country's experience, Peru's Ambassador to the OAS Manuel Rodríguez Cuadro said it "showed how complex threats against democracy, the rule of law and human rights are."
And, Secretary General César Gaviria stressed that, with the Cold War now over, Resolution 1080 has emerged as the first expression of shared values. "Through the case-by-case approach of Resolution 1080, the OAS has been able to do an in-depth analysis of all the elements of a crisis, and that is still the approach we should take."
Permanent Council Chairman Ambassador Esteban Tomic of Chile presided at the special session which also heard presentations by the Ambassadors of Ecuador and Guyana as well as the Alternate Representative of the United States. They all underscored the importance of the Santiago Commitment, commending the role of the OAS in bolstering democracy in the Hemisphere.
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