Media Center

Press Release

PERUVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER URGES MORE
INTENSIVE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Peru's Foreign Minister Diego García Sayán today called on the international community to intensify collaboration in the campaign against corruption. Speaking at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, he announced that over the next few months Peru's judicial authorities would be formally asking the Japanese government to extradite former President Alberto Fujimori back to Peru.

"This is not a political move, but rather an effort to restore ethics and justice, and the support of all democratic states will be crucial to prevail over capricious interpretations that could hinder the extradition of someone who abdicated his responsibilities," García Sayán told the Permanent Council.

With reference to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, he argued that "the Hemisphere has a duty to defend the democratic system of government because it is the best guarantee for preserving and respecting human rights."

The Peruvian Foreign Minister announced that he was stepping down from membership on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, to which he had been elected at the OAS General Assembly last June. He nominated Susana Villarán as a replacement, saying she was "an outstanding educator with impeccable credentials as a defender of democracy and protector of human rights."

Since last September, according to García Sayán, Peru has been promoting the adoption of an Inter-American Convention against Terrorism. He said this treaty should be "an unequivocal political signal of inter-American commitment" to combat this scourge. He also renewed the Peruvian government's offer of Lima as a possible venue to host an OAS Permanent Council meeting, before June, to approve the draft convention that will be referred to the General Assembly in Barbados for final adoption.

García Sayán noted as well that President Toledo was firmly implementing Peru's commitment to fighting illicit drugs. He commended the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) as the ideal forum to spur hemispheric cooperation and coordination on policy and action.

Expressing concern about the situation in Haiti, the Peruvian official said his government stood firmly behind efforts by the OAS Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General to uphold democracy in Haiti. He also announced that a meeting of Andean Foreign and Defense Ministers will be held in Lima next April, to consider drastic cuts in arms expenditure and to channel more of the limited resources towards education, health and fighting poverty.

Reference: E-029/02