CANADA'S NEW ENVOY SAYS OAS WILL BE JUDGED BY SUCCESS IN
IMPLEMENTING MANDATES FROM HEMISPHERE'S LEADERS

In his first address as Canada's Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States, Ambassador Paul Durand expressed the view that the hemispheric Organization will be judged by its success in implementing "the directions of our leaders, as formulated at summits."

Concerning the OAS' immediate mandate—to implement the Inter-American Democratic Charter stemming from the leaders' mandate at the Third Summit of the Americas last April— Ambassador Durand told the Permanent Council that Canada will lend its unconditional support to the negotiations.

He said the charter to bolster OAS mechanisms to safeguard representative democracy in the Americas, along with many other engagements since the Quebec City Summit, "are at the heart of the OAS' mandate." The Inter-American Democratic Charter is to be formally adopted at a special OAS General Assembly session in Lima, Peru, September 10 and 11.

The Ambassador stressed as well the need for institutional support to implement the proposed charter, and urged active participation by all, including civil society organizations. Durand, who presented credentials at the OAS on Monday, emphasized that pragmatism will be the focus of Canada's involvement in the negotiations.

The new Canadian Ambassador to the hemispheric Organization also referred to what he termed his country's ambitious "Americas Agenda" of the past two years, noting "the new enthusiasm of Canadians for this region that they now consider their home." He praised the OAS for "making impressive strides toward hemispheric integration" amid significant change and serious challenges.

The Permanent Council Chairman, Costa Rica's Ambassador to the OAS Hernán R. Castro, was joined by the member state Ambassadors in welcoming their new Canadian counterpart to the hemispheric body.

**********