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Press Release

DEFENSE MINISTER OF SPAIN RENEWS PLEDGE
ON SECURITY COOPERATION WITH LATIN AMERICA

The Spanish Defense Minister, José Antonio Alonso, today renewed his government’s pledge to strengthen cooperation with Central and South American countries, particularly in combating terrorism and illicit drugs and enhancing public security. He made the remarks during a visit to the Organization of American States (OAS), the first by a Defense Minister of Spain.

In welcoming the Spanish dignitary, the OAS Assistant Secretary for Politics Affairs, former Argentine Foreign Minister Dante Caputo, spoke about Secretary General José Miguel Insulza’s efforts to further strengthen the longstanding cooperation between Europe and the Americas. He said the OAS is seeking to raise the profile of the inter-American organization and the countries of the Americas among Europeans.

Caputo thanked the government of Spain for being a major donor to OAS projects, singling out for special mention the substantial financial support it has provided recently for public security efforts, through the humanitarian demining program in Nicaragua. Caputo said the contributions “give greater strength to projects undertaken by the OAS.”

According to Minister Alonso, Spain will maintain close links with the countries of Central and South America, “especially in a world of increasing globalization—and one which is ever-changing and more complex,” characterized as well by major differences between internal and external security of the state. “International terrorist activity and international drug trafficking have made borders irrelevant, and this is where security becomes a worldwide concern, not only as it relates to what happens within borders but also in terms of what happens 5,000 kilometers away in another country,” he said.

Alonso explained that a top priority for his ministry, which is governed by the country’s defense policy, is bilateral cooperation with Latin American countries in order to facilitate training for military commanders from those countries and boost public security through the hemispheric summits.

James F. Mack, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), along with Carol S. Fuller, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), and Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Director of the Department of Public Security, explained the range of OAS multidimensional security programs.

Following their meeting, held at OAS headquarters, Minister Alonso accepted an invitation to visit the Inter-American Defense Board.

Spain has been an OAS observer country since 1972.

Reference: E-226/06