OAS SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH ASSOCIATION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL

The Organization of American States and the Inter-American Association of Attorneys General signed an agreement in Washignton today, to foster cooperation among attorney general's offices in member countries while safeguarding the independence of justice administration systems in the Americas.

Secretary General César Gaviria signed for the OAS, along with Argentina's Attorney General Nicolás Eduardo Becerra, who is the President of the Association. Mr. Becerra said the agreement will be a boon to the administration of justice in the Americas. "As we all know, crime is no longer the private concern of nations, but rather has basically become a transnational matter requiring countries to come together more than ever to combat the scourge."

The Association President noted too that the OAS' "immense political support" for all of the Association's member countries, saying it will facilitate bilateral agreements for training of magistrates, will speed up the extradition proceedings when countries so require, and will provide more information on the effects of transborder crime.

Under the agreement, the OAS will promote cooperation among the attorney general's offices of Association member countries, in a bid to speed up investigations and gathering of reports in the process of taking evidence.

Besides providing the Association's member states with information on its agreements on the administration of justice, the OAS will collaborate with the Association to prepare a data base to facilitate the sharing of information on activities being pursued as well as progress on initiatives of the institutions themselves.

For its part, the Inter-American Association of Attorneys General will provide the OAS with information and documents from meetings of its main policy-making bodies, and will coordinate specific studies as requested by the OAS, including comparative studies of legislation and jurisprudence.

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