ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
TWENTY-NINTH REGULAR SESSION
GUATEMALA, GUATEMALA
June 6-8, 1999
PROCEEDINGS
AG/DEC. 20 - AG/DEC. 22
(XXIX-O/99)
AG/RES. 1607 - AG/RES. 1697
(XXIX-O/99)
CERTIFIED TEXTS OF THE
DECLARATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
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AG |
ORGANIZATION
OF AMERICAN STATES
OEA/Ser.P/XXIX-O.2
7
December 1999
Volume
1
GUATEMALA, GUATEMALA
June 6-8, 1999
VOLUME I
AG/DEC. 20 - AG/DEC. 22
(XXIX-O/99)
AG/RES. 1607 - AG/RES. 1697
(XXIX-O/99)
CERTIFIED TEXTS OF THE
DECLARATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
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GENERAL SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES |
AG |
OEA/Ser.P/XXVIII-O.2 PROCEEDINGS VOLUME
I AG/DEC. 20 – 22
(XXIX-O/99) AG/RES. 1607 –
1697 (XXIX-O/99) AG
I hereby certify that this volume contains the official texts of the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States at its twenty-ninth regular session, held in Guatemala, Guatemala, from June 6-8, 1999.
César Gaviria
Secretary General
Organization of American States
CONTENTS
Page
AG/DEC. 20 (XXIX-O/99) Support for Paraguayan Democracy and for the Strengthening and Normalization of its Institutions.......................................................................... 1
AG/DEC. 21 (XXIX-O/99) Declaration on the Question of the Malvinas Islands...................... 3
AG/DEC. 22 (XXIX-O/99) Support for the Peace Process in Colombia................................... 5
AG/RES. 1607 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions................................................................................ 7
AG/RES. 1608 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities................................................. 23
AG/RES. 1609 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Declaration on Freedom of Expression................ 31
AG/RES. 1610 (XXIX-O/99) Proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Populations 33
AG/RES. 1611 (XXIX-O/99) The Human Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families..... 35
AG/RES. 1612 (XXIX-O/99) Meeting of Government Representatives on Electoral Campaign Contributions................................................................................................ 37
AG/RES. 1613 (XXIX-O/99) Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI)............................................................................... 39
AG/RES. 1614 (XXIX-O/99) Free Trade and Investment in the Hemisphere............................. 41
AG/RES. 1615 (XXIX-O/99) Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas.................................................................................. 43
AG/RES. 1616 (XXIX-O/99) Annual Report of the Inter-American Juridical Committee............ 45
AG/RES. 1617 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law 49
AG/RES. 1618 (XXIX-O/99) Legal Development of Integration............................................... 51
AG/RES. 1619 (XXIX-O/99) Promotion of and Respect for International Humanitarian Law..... 53
Page
AG/RES. 1620 (XXIX-O/99) Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere..................... 57
AG/RES. 1621 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials... 59
AG/RES. 1622 (XXIX-O/99) Consolidation of the Regime Established in the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco)................................................................................................ 61
AG/RES. 1623 (XXIX-O/99) Confidence- and Security-Building in the Americas...................... 63
AG/RES. 1624 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Support for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction................................................................................................ 67
AG/RES. 1625 (XXIX-O/99) Status of Women in the Americas and Strengthening and Modernization of the Inter-American Commission of Women...................................... 69
AG/RES. 1626 (XXIX-O/99) First Biennial Report on Compliance with Resolution AG/RES. 1456 (Xxvii-O/97), “Promotion of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women ‘Convention of Belém Do Pará’”................................................................................. 73
AG/RES. 1627 (XXIX-O/99) Appointment of Women to Senior Management Positions at the OAS 75
AG/RES. 1628 (XXIX-O/99) Fellowship and Training Programs.............................................. 77
AG/RES. 1629 (XXIX-O/99) Cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System................................................................................................ 79
AG/RES. 1630 (XXIX-O/99) Study on the Scale of Quota Assessments................................... 81
AG/RES. 1631 (XXIX-O/99) Quota Payments........................................................................ 83
AG/RES. 1632 (XXIX-O/99) Strengthening of National Systems and International Cooperation in the Area of International Adoptions.............................................................. 85
Page
AG/RES. 1633 (XXIX-O/99) Evaluation of the Workings of the Inter-American System for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights with a view to Its Strengthening and Improvement................................................................................................ 91
AG/RES. 1634 (XXIX-O/99) Procedures for Preparing and Adopting Inter-American Legal Instruments within the Organization of American States........................................... 93
AG/RES. 1635 (XXIX-O/99) American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man................ 97
AG/RES. 1636 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Program of Culture............................................ 99
AG/RES. 1637 (XXIX-O/99) Permanent Specific Fund to Finance Activities Related to OAS Electoral Observation Missions............................................................... 101
AG/RES. 1638 (XXIX-O/99) The Panama Canal.................................................................. 105
AG/RES. 1639 (XXIX-O/99) Cooperation between the Organization of American States and the United Nations System.................................................................................... 107
AG/RES. 1640 (XXIX-O/99) Special Security Concerns of Small Island States....................... 109
AG/RES. 1641 (XXIX-O/99) Support for the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America........ 113
AG/RES. 1642 (XXIX-O/99) Proliferation of and Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons 117
AG/RES. 1643 (XXIX-O/99) Work Program of the Committee on Hemispheric Security in Preparation for the Special Conference on Security................................................ 121
AG/RES. 1644 (XXIX-O/99) The Western Hemisphere as an Antipersonnel-Land-Mine-Free Zone 123
AG/RES. 1645 (XXIX-O/99) Support for the Committee on Hemispheric Security................... 129
AG/RES. 1646 (XXIX-O/99) Report of the Board of External Auditors.................................. 133
AG/RES. 1647 (XXIX-O/99) Personnel Policy Reform.......................................................... 135
AG/RES. 1648 (XXIX-O/99) Promotion of Representative Democracy.................................. 137
Page
AG/RES. 1649 (XXIX-O/99) Enhancement of Probity in the Hemisphere and Follow-up on the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption............. 141
AG/RES. 1650 (XXIX-O/99) Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism 145
AG/RES. 1651 (XXIX-O/99) The Prevention of and War on Crime........................................ 157
AG/RES. 1652 (XXIX-O/99) Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights............................................................ 159
AG/RES. 1653 (XXIX-O/99) Plan of Action of the General Secretariat to extend the Special Fellowships for the Caribbean Program to Other States........................................... 161
AG/RES. 1654 (XXIX-O/99) Annual Report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)............................................................................................... 163
AG/RES. 1655 (XXIX-O/99) Technical Analysis by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) on the Study of the Advisability of Preparing a Draft Inter-American Convention to Combat Money Laundering................................. 165
AG/RES. 1656 (XXIX-O/99) Amendments to the Model Regulations Concerning Laundering Offences Connected to Illicit Drug Trafficking and Related Offences of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission.............................................. 167
AG/RES. 1657 (XXIX-O/99) Recommendations to promote Alternative Development Programs in the Member States of CICAD..................................................................... 169
AG/RES. 1658 (XXIX-O/99) Amendments to the Model Regulations to Control Chemical Precursors and Chemical Substances, Machines, and Materials of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission....................................................... 171
AG/RES. 1659 (XXIX-O/99) Support for and Follow-up to the Summits of the Americas Initiatives...... 173
AG/RES. 1660 (XXIX-O/99) Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.................................................. 177
Page
AG/RES. 1661 (XXIX-O/99) The Organization of American States and Civil Society.............. 181
AG/RES. 1662 (XXIX-O/99) Consideration of the Situation of the Permanent Observers and Their Participation in the Cooperation Activities and Programs of the Organization... 183
AG/RES. 1663 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Program for the Promotion of Human Rights..... 185
AG/RES. 1664 (XXIX-O/99) Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th Anniversary of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights............................................. 219
AG/RES. 1665 (XXIX-O/99) Support for the Work of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights 221
AG/RES. 1666 (XXIX-O/99) Creation of the Committee to Coordinate Cooperation Programs of the Inter-American System.................................................................... 223
AG/RES. 1667 (XXIX-O/99) Inclusion of Children’s Issues on the Hemispheric Agenda......... 225
AG/RES. 1668 (XXIX-O/99) Strengthening Cooperation between Governments and Civil Society 227
AG/RES. 1669 (XXIX-O/99) Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization................................. 229
AG/RES. 1670 (XXIX-O/99) Support for the Work of Defenders of the People, Defenders of the Population, Human Rights Attorneys, and Human Rights Commissioners (Ombudsmen) in the Context of Strengthening Democracy in the Hemisphere............ 231
AG/RES. 1671 (XXIX-O/99) “Human Rights Defenders in the Americas”
Support for the Individuals, Groups, and Organizations of Civil Society Working to Promote and Protect Human Rights in the Americas.................. 233
AG/RES. 1672 (XXIX-O/99) Special Program of Support for Guatemala................................ 235
AG/RES. 1673 (XXIX-O/99) Parliamentary Network of the Americas................................... 237
Page
AG/RES. 1674 (XXIX-O/99) Climate Change in the Americas............................................... 239
AG/RES. 1675 (XXIX-O/99) Cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the General Secretariat of the Caribbean Community. 241
AG/RES. 1676 (XXIX-O/99) Special Program of Support to Countries Affected by “El Niño”. 243
AG/RES. 1677 (XXIX-O/99) Annual Report of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development 245
AG/RES. 1678 (XXIX-O/99) Mechanisms for Implementing the Inter-American Dialogue on Partnership for Development........................................................................... 247
AG/RES. 1679 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Program of Education....................................... 253
AG/RES. 1680 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Science and Technology Program..................... 255
AG/RES. 1681 (XXIX-O/99) Specialized Conferences........................................................... 257
AG/RES. 1682 (XXIX-O/99) OAS Natural Disaster Reduction and Response Mechanisms..... 259
AG/RES. 1683 (XXIX-O/99) Congratulations to Ecuador and Peru on Signing the Peace Agreements 263
AG/RES. 1684 (XXIX-O/99) Participatory Democracy.......................................................... 265
AG/RES. 1685 (XXIX-O/99) Modernization of the OAS and Renewal of the Inter-American System 267
AG/RES. 1686 (XXIX-O/99) Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development......... 269
AG/RES. 1687 (XXIX-O/99) Place and Date of the Thirty-third Regular Session of the General Assembly............................................................................................... 271
AG/RES. 1688 (XXIX-O/99) Venue and Date of the Thirty-fourth Regular Session of the General Assembly............................................................................................... 273
AG/RES. 1689 (XXIX-O/99) Trade and Integration in the Americas....................................... 275
Page
AG/RES. 1690 (XXIX-O/99) The Museum of the Americas and OAS Conference Facilities.... 279
AG/RES. 1691 (XXIX-O/99) International Abduction of Minors by One of Their Parents........ 281
AG/RES. 1692 (XXIX-O/99) The Financial and Budgetary Situation of the Organization.......... 283
AG/RES. 1693 (XXIX-O/99) The Situation of Refugees and Returnees in the Americas.......... 285
AG/RES. 1694 (XXIX-O/99) Dividends for Peace................................................................. 287
AG/RES. 1695 (XXIX-O/99) World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.................................................................. 289
AG/RES. 1696 (XXIX-O/99) Strengthening Representative Democracy................................. 291
AG/RES. 1697 (XXIX-O/99) The Program-Budget of the Organization for 2000 Quotas and Contributions to the Voluntary Fund for 2000........................................................... 293
AG/DEC. 20 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR PARAGUAYAN DEMOCRACY AND FOR THE STRENGTHENING
AND NORMALIZATION OF ITS INSTITUTIONS
(Declaration adopted at the third plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
BEARING IN MIND that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace, and development of the region;
HAVING TAKEN NOTE of the events that took place in Paraguay from March 23 to 28, 1999, as a result of the institutional crisis brought on by attacks against the effective application of the rule of law, which threatened political stability and the institutional process in Paraguay;
BEARING IN MIND that, on March 23, 1999, the Vice President of the Republic of Paraguay, Dr. Luis María Argaña, was brutally assassinated;
ASSERTING that the assassination of that public figure was an attack on the democratic institutions, the political stability, and the rule of law in Paraguay;
BEARING IN MIND that solving crimes with political connotations is essential to the preservation of democratic institutions and the rule of law;
RECOGNIZING the democratic values and spirit of Paraguayan society and, in particular, of its young people, who, in the face of the grave institutional crisis, exhibited an exemplary national consensus on the need to preserve the democratic process, defending the rule of law and democratic institutions, even with their lives; and
REASSERTING that the effective exercise of democracy and the rule of law are necessary conditions for ensuring the observance of human rights in a society,
DECLARES:
1. Its strong condemnation and repudiation
of the assassination of the Vice President of the Republic of Paraguay, Dr.
Luis María Argaña.
2. Its support for Paraguayan democracy and for the strengthening and normalization of its institutions.
AG/DEC. 21 (XXIX-O/99)
DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF THE MALVINAS ISLANDS
(Declaration adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING its repeated statements that the question of the Malvinas Islands is a matter of enduring hemispheric concern;
RECALLING
its resolution AG/RES. 928 (XVIII-O/88), adopted by consensus on November 19,
1988, which requests the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations in order
to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute;
BEARING IN MIND that, in its resolution AG/RES. 1049 (XX-O/90), it expressed its satisfaction with the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that, in its declaration AG/DEC. 5 (XXIII-O/93), it emphasized the excellent state achieved in their bilateral relations;
RECOGNIZING that accreditation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, under resolution CP/RES. 655 (1041/95), as a permanent observer to the OAS reflects principles and values shared by that country and OAS member states, which facilitate greater mutual understanding;
NOTING with satisfaction that the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland continue to reinforce political, trade, and cultural ties, and are also engaging in close cooperation both bilaterally and in international forums; and
HAVING HEARD the presentation by the head of the delegation of the Argentine Republic,
WELCOMES the reaffirmation of the will of the Argentine Government to continue exploring all possible avenues for peaceful settlement of the controversy and its constructive approach towards the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands;
REAFFIRMS the need for the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to begin, as soon as possible, negotiations on the sovereignty dispute, in order to find a peaceful solution to this protracted controversy; and
DECIDES to continue to examine the question of the Malvinas Islands at its subsequent sessions until a definitive settlement is reached thereon.
AG/DEC. 22 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR THE PEACE PROCESS IN COLOMBIA
(Declaration adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the recent events in the sister Republic of Colombia and, in particular, the Government’s efforts to bring about a negotiated solution to the internal conflict;
BEARING IN MIND the emergence of new circumstances that facilitate progress toward a peaceful and enduring solution in Colombia, founded on a broad-based national commitment; and
CONSIDERING the need to lend the utmost support to all efforts in pursuit of the noble cause of peace and democracy in the sister republic,
DECLARES:
1. Its resolute and unconditional support for the peace-building endeavors of the Government of Colombia based on the desire of the majority of the people of that country for a definitive settlement of the armed conflict through an agenda for peace and national reconciliation.
2. Its satisfaction at the progress made in the quest for peace in Colombia and its appreciation to the Government of President Andrés Pastrana for the political determination and commitment shown in the fight to consolidate democracy and attain peace, through the widespread involvement of different sectors of society.
3. Its support for the willingness shown by the international community to cooperate by complementing and assisting the Government of Colombia’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the internal conflict.
AG/RES. 1607 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY
IN
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING:
The mandate given to the Permanent Council in General Assembly resolutions AG/RES. 1500 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1570 (XXVIII-O/98); and
That the Heads of State and Government, at the Second Summit of the Americas (Santiago, 1998) pledged to continue promoting transparency in matters related to defense policy, among other aspects, with regard to modernizing the armed forces, comparing military expenditures in the region, and strengthening the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms;
HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council on the draft Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions in the Americas (CP/CSH-217/99);
RECOGNIZING that strengthening peace and security in the Hemisphere is an essential purpose of the Organization of American States and that economic and social development and cooperation among its member states are fundamental to its achievement;
EMPHASIZING that the application of confidence- and security-building measures helps to establish a climate conducive to an effective limitation of conventional weapons that makes it possible to devote the largest amount of resources to the economic and social development of member states, one of the essential purposes set forth in the OAS Charter;
REAFFIRMING the declarations of Santiago and San Salvador on confidence- and security-building measures, which recommended the application, in the manner that is most suitable, of confidence- and security-building measures; and that it is necessary and timely to continue to increase dialogue to build peace, confidence, and security in the region;
RECALLING its resolution AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92), in which member states agreed to “accept as a guiding principle of regional disarmament, arms control and limitation policies, the requirement to enhance security and stability at the lowest possible levels of forces consistent with defense requirements and international commitments”; “express the commitment of the organization to effectively contribute to the efforts being made at the international level towards the strengthening of peace and security"; maintain only such military capabilities as are necessary for self-defense and fulfillment of international commitments, consistent with their Constitutions, laws and the principles and purposes of the OAS and UN Charters”; and “exercise restraint in conventional arms transfers with a view to preventing excessive or destabilizing arms build-ups”;
CONVINCED that endeavors by countries to promote regional disarmament, taking into account the specific characteristics of each region and in accordance with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of armaments, would enhance the security of states and would thus contribute to international peace and security by reducing the risk of regional conflicts;
RECALLING its appeal, in resolution AG/RES. 1500 (XXVII-O/97), to the international community to contribute to regional transparency and confidence in the Americas; and
BEARING IN MIND that increased openness and transparency in the conventional weapons field contributes to building mutual confidence, reducing tensions, and strengthening regional and international peace and security, and may help to decrease the acquisition, production, and transfer of conventional weapons,
RESOLVES:
1. To adopt and open for signature the following:
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY
IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
THE STATES PARTIES,
BEARING IN MIND their commitments to the United Nations and the Organization of American States to contribute more fully to openness and transparency by exchanging information on weapon systems covered by the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms;
REITERATING the importance of annual reporting to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms of information on imports, exports, military holdings, and procurement through national production of major weapon systems;
BUILDING UPON AND REAFFIRMING the declarations of Santiago (1995) and San Salvador (1998) on confidence- and security-building measures, which recommend the application of such measures in the most appropriate manner;
RECOGNIZING that in accordance with the Charter of the Organization of American States and the Charter of the United Nations, member states have the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense;
RECOGNIZING that the commitments made in this Convention are an important step towards achieving one of the essential purposes established in the Charter of the Organization of American States, which is “to achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons that will make it possible to devote the largest amount of resources to the economic and social development of the Member States”;
RECOGNIZING that it is important for the international community to contribute to the objective of this Convention; and
EXPRESSING their intention to continue consideration of
appropriate steps to advance the effective limitation and control of
conventional weapons in the region,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:
DEFINITIONS
For
the purposes of this Convention,
a. “Conventional weapons” means those systems
set forth in Annex I to this Convention.
Annex I is an integral part of this Convention.
b. "Acquisition" means the obtaining of conventional weapons through purchase, lease, procurement, donation, loan, or any other method, whether from foreign sources or through national production. “Acquisition” does not include the obtaining of prototypes, developmental items, and equipment in research, development, test, and evaluation, to the extent that such prototypes, items, or equipment are not incorporated into the inventory of the armed forces.
c. “Incorporation into the inventory of
the armed forces” means entry of the conventional weapon into service, even for a limited period of time.
ARTICLE II
The
objective of this Convention is to contribute more fully to regional openness
and transparency in the acquisition of conventional weapons by exchanging
information regarding such acquisitions, for the purpose of promoting
confidence among States in the Americas.
ARTICLE III
ANNUAL REPORTS ON IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF CONVENTIONAL
WEAPONS
1. States Parties shall report annually to
the depositary on their imports and exports of conventional weapons during the
preceding calendar year, providing information, with respect to imports, on the
exporting State, and the quantity and type of conventional weapons imported;
and information, with respect to exports, on the importing State, and the
quantity and type of conventional weapons exported. Any State Party may supplement its submission with any additional
information it considers relevant, such as the designation and model of the
conventional weapons.
2. Information to be submitted pursuant to
this article shall be provided to the depositary as soon as possible, but no
later than June 15 of each year.
3. Reporting pursuant to this article
shall be in the format of Annex II (A) and (B).
ARTICLE IV
EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON ACQUISITIONS OF
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS
In
addition to providing the annual reports specified in Article III, States
Parties shall notify the depositary of acquisitions of conventional weapons as
follows:
a. Notification
of acquisition through imports.
These notifications to the depositary shall be made no later than 90
days after incorporation of imported conventional weapons into the inventory of
the armed forces. Notifications shall
indicate the exporting State, as well as the quantity and type of imported
conventional weapons. Any State Party may supplement its submission with any additional
information it considers relevant, such as the designation and model of the
conventional weapons. Reporting
pursuant to this paragraph shall be in the format of Annex II (C).
b. Notification
of acquisition through national production. These notifications to the depositary shall be made no later than
90 days after incorporation of the conventional weapons acquired through
national production into the inventory of the armed forces. Notifications shall indicate the quantity
and type of conventional weapons. Any State Party may supplement its submission
with any additional information it considers relevant, such as the designation
and model of the conventional weapons.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Convention, States Parties
may also supplement such notifications with information on reconfiguration or
modification of conventional weapons.
To encourage further transparency in acquisitions through national
production, the obligation of each State Party to notify under this paragraph may
be fulfilled, in accordance with its domestic legislation, through notice to
the depositary of a national funding commitment for conventional weapons to be
incorporated into that State's inventory during the upcoming budget year.
Reporting pursuant to this paragraph shall be in the format of Annex II
(D).
c. Notification
of no activity. States Parties with
no imports or acquisitions of conventional weapons through national production
during the preceding calendar year shall so report to the depositary as soon as
possible, but no later than June 15.
Reporting pursuant to this paragraph shall be in the format of Annex II
(A) and (B).
ARTICLE V
INFORMATION FROM OTHER STATES
Any State that is not a member of the Organization of American States may contribute to the objective of this Convention by providing information annually to the depositary on its exports of conventional weapons to the States Parties to this Convention. Such information may identify the importing State, and the quantity and type of any conventional weapons exported, and may also include any additional pertinent information, such as designation and model of the conventional weapons.
ARTICLE VI
CONSULTATIONS
States
Parties may consult on information provided pursuant to this Convention.
ARTICLE VII
APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION
Any
disagreement that may arise with respect to the application or interpretation
of this Convention shall be resolved by any means of peaceful settlement
decided upon by the States Parties involved, which undertake to cooperate to
this end.
ARTICLE VIII
After seven years from the date of entry into force of this Convention, and upon the proposal by a majority of the States Parties, the depositary shall convene a conference of the States Parties. The purpose of such conference, and of any subsequent conferences, would be to examine the functioning and application of this Convention, and to consider further transparency measures consistent with the objective of this Convention, including modifications, pursuant to Article XI, to the categories of conventional weapons in Annex I.
ARTICLE IX
SIGNATURE
This
Convention is open for signature by all Member States of the Organization of
American States.
ARTICLE X
ENTRY INTO FORCE
This
Convention shall enter into force on the 30th day following the date of deposit
with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States of the
sixth instrument of ratification,
acceptance, approval, or accession by a member state of the Organization of
American States. Thereafter, the
Convention shall enter into force for any other Member State of the
Organization of American States on the 30th day following the date of deposit
by such State of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, or
accession.
ARTICLE
XI
AMENDMENTS
Any State Party may submit to the
depositary a proposal to amend this Convention. The depositary shall circulate any such proposal to all States
Parties. Upon the request of a majority
of the States Parties, the depositary shall, no sooner than 60 days from the
date of such request, convene a conference of the States Parties to consider
the proposed amendment. An amendment
shall be adopted upon approval by two thirds of the States Parties present at
the conference. Any amendment so adopted
shall enter into force for the States ratifying, accepting, approving, or
acceding to it 30 days after two thirds of the States Parties have deposited
their respective instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval of the
amendment, or of accession thereto.
Thereafter, such an amendment shall enter into force for any other State
Party on the 30th day after that State Party deposits its instrument
of ratification, acceptance, or approval of the amendment, or of accession
thereto.
ARTICLE XII
DURATION AND DENUNCIATION
This
Convention shall remain in force indefinitely, but any State Party may denounce
it. The instrument of denunciation
shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American
States. After 12 months from the date
of deposit of the instrument of denunciation, the Convention shall no longer be
in force for the denouncing State, but shall remain in force for the other
States Parties.
ARTICLE XIII
RESERVATIONS
States
Parties may, at the time of adoption, signature, ratification, acceptance,
approval, or accession, make reservations to this Convention, provided that
such reservations are not incompatible with the object and purpose of the
Convention and that they concern one or more specific provisions thereof.
ARTICLE XIV
DEPOSITARY
1. The depositary of this Convention is
the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
2. Upon receipt of information provided by a State Party pursuant to Article III or IV of this Convention, the depositary shall promptly transmit such information to all States Parties.
3. The depositary shall provide to States
Parties a consolidated annual report of the information provided pursuant to
this Convention.
4. The depositary shall notify the States Parties of any proposals received for convening a conference of the States Parties pursuant to Article VIII.
5. The depositary shall receive and distribute to the States Parties any information submitted pursuant to Article V.
ARTICLE XV
DEPOSIT OF THE CONVENTION
The original instrument of this Convention, the English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the depositary, which shall forward an authenticated copy of its text to the Secretariat of the United Nations for registration and publication, in accordance with Article 102 of the United Nations Charter. The depositary shall notify the Member States of the Organization of American States of signatures, of deposits of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval, accession, or denunciation, and of reservations, if any.
ANNEX I
The list of conventional weapons covered by this Convention is set forth below. Such list is based on the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.
In accordance with the Article I, this annex is an integral part of this Convention. Any changes to this Annex shall be adopted in conformity with the amendment procedure stipulated in Article XI.
I. Battle
tanks
Tracked or wheeled self-propelled
armored fighting vehicles with high cross-country mobility and a high level of
self-protection, weighing at least 16.5 metric tons unladen weight, with a high
muzzle velocity direct fire main gun of at least 75 millimeters caliber.
II. Armored
combat vehicles
Tracked, semi-tracked, or wheeled self-propelled
vehicles, with armored protection and cross-country capability, either: (A) designed and equipped to transport a
squad of four or more infantrymen, or (B) armed with an integral or organic
weapon of at least 12.5 millimeters caliber or a missile launcher.
III. Large
caliber artillery systems
Guns, howitzers, artillery pieces
combining the characteristics of a gun or a howitzer, mortars, or
multiple-launch rocket systems, capable of engaging surface targets by
delivering primarily indirect fire, with a caliber of 100 millimeters and
above.
IV. Combat
aircraft
Fixed-wing or variable-geometry wing
aircraft designed, equipped, or modified to engage targets by employing guided
missiles, unguided rockets, bombs, guns, cannons, or other weapons of
destruction, including versions of these aircraft which perform specialized
electronic warfare, suppression of air defense, or reconnaissance
missions. The term "combat
aircraft" does not include primary trainer aircraft, unless designed,
equipped, or modified as described above.
V. Attack helicopters
Rotary-wing aircraft designed, equipped, or modified to engage targets by employing guided or unguided anti-armor, air-to-surface, air-to-subsurface, or air-to-air weapons and equipped with an integrated fire control and aiming system for these weapons, including versions of these aircraft which perform specialized reconnaissance or electronic warfare missions.
VI. Warships
Vessels or submarines armed and equipped for military use with a standard displacement of 750 metric tons or above, and those with a standard displacement of less than 750 metric tons, equipped for launching missiles with a range of at least 25 kilometers or torpedoes with similar range.
VII. Missiles and missile launchers
Guided or unguided rockets, ballistic or cruise missiles
capable of delivering a warhead or weapon of destruction to a range of at least
25 kilometers, and means designed or modified specifically for launching such
missiles or rockets, if not covered by categories I through VI. This category:
a.
Also includes
remotely-piloted vehicles with the characteristics for missiles as defined
above;
b.
Does not include
ground-to-air missiles.
ANNEX II (A)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
ARTICLE III – ANNUAL IMPORT NOTIFICATION
REPORTING COUNTRY ____________________ CALENDAR YEAR ____________________
A. CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS |
B. QUANTITY |
C. TYPE |
D. EXPORTING STATE |
|
E. Additional information[1]/ |
I.
BATTLE TANKS |
|
|
|
|
|
II.
ARMORED COMBAT
VEHICLES |
|
|
|
|
|
III.
LARGE-CALIBER
ARTILLERY SYSTEMS |
|
|
|
|
|
IV.
COMBAT AIRCRAFT |
|
|
|
|
|
V.
ATTACK
HELICOPTERS |
|
|
|
|
|
VI.
WARSHIPS |
|
|
|
|
|
VII.
MISSILES AND
MISSILE LAUNCHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
ANNEX II (B)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
ARTICLE III – ANNUAL EXPORT NOTIFICATION
REPORTING COUNTRY ___________________________________ CALENDAR YEAR ______________________
A. CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS |
B. QUANTITY |
C. TYPE |
D.
IMPORTING STATE |
|
E.
Additional information[2]/ |
I.
BATTLE TANKS |
|
|
|
|
|
II.
ARMORED COMBAT
VEHICLES |
|
|
|
|
|
III.
LARGE-CALIBER
ARTILLERY SYSTEMS |
|
|
|
|
|
IV.
COMBAT AIRCRAFT |
|
|
|
|
|
V.
ATTACK
HELICOPTERS |
|
|
|
|
|
VI.
WARSHIPS |
|
|
|
|
|
VII.
MISSILES AND
MISSILE LAUNCHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
Bold items are mandatory.
ANNEX II (C)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
ARTICLE IV – NOTIFICATION OF ACQUISITION THROUGH IMPORTS
REPORTING COUNTRY ____________________ DATE ____________________
A.
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS |
B. QUANTITY |
C. TYPE |
D.
EXPORTING STATE |
|
E. Additional information[3]/ |
CATEGORIES
I – VII. |
|
|
|
|
|
Bold items are mandatory.
ANNEX II (D)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON TRANSPARENCY IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS
ARTICLE IV – NOTIFICATION OF ACQUISITION THROUGH NATIONAL PRODUCTION
REPORTING COUNTRY ____________________________ DATE____________________
A.
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS |
B. QUANTITY |
C. TYPE |
|
D.
Additional information[4]/ |
CATEGORIES I – VII. |
|
|
|
|
Bold items are mandatory.
2. To invite states that are not members of the Organization of American States to contribute to the objective of this Convention in accordance with its Article V.
3. To request that the Secretary General transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
4. To also request that the Secretary General present a report on the signatures and/or ratifications of this Convention to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1608 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council
on the draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (CP/CAJP-1532/99);
CONSIDERING that, during its twenty-sixth
regular session, the General Assembly, in resolution AG/RES. 1369 (XXVI-O/96),
“Panama Commitment to Persons with Disabilities in the American Hemisphere,”
instructed the Permanent Council to prepare, through the appropriate working
group, a “draft Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination by Reason of Disability”;
BEARING IN MIND that disability can lead to
situations of discrimination, and that it is necessary therefore to encourage
actions and measures to bring about a substantial improvement in the situation
of persons with disabilities in the Hemisphere;
RECALLING that the American Declaration of the Rights
and Duties of Man proclaims that all human beings are born free and equal, in
dignity and in rights, and that the rights and freedoms of every person must be
respected without distinction of any kind;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, or “Protocol of San Salvador,” recognizes that “everyone affected by a diminution of his physical or mental capacities is entitled to receive special attention designed to help him achieve the greatest possible development of his personality”; and
NOTING that resolution AG/RES. 1564
(XXVIII-O/98) reiterates “the importance of adopting an Inter-American
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons
with Disabilities” and, in addition, requests that every necessary effort be
made to ensure that this legal instrument is adopted and signed at the
twenty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly,
RESOLVES:
To adopt the following Inter-American
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons
with Disabilities:
OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES
THE
STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION,
REAFFIRMING
that persons with disabilities have the same human rights and fundamental
freedoms as other persons; and that these rights, which include freedom from
discrimination based on disability, flow from the inherent dignity and equality
of each person;
CONSIDERING
that the Charter of the Organization of American States, in Article 3.j,
establishes the principle that “social justice and social security are bases of
lasting peace”;
CONCERNED
by the discrimination to which people are subject based on their disability;
BEARING
IN MIND the agreement of the International Labour Organisation on the
vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons (Convention
159); the Declaration of the Rights of
Mentally Retarded Persons (UN General Assembly resolution 2856 (XXVI) of
December 20, 1971); the Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UN
General Assembly resolution 3447 (XXX) of December 9, 1975); the World
Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (UN General Assembly resolution
37/52 of December 3, 1982); the Additional Protocol to the American Convention
on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, “Protocol
of San Salvador” (1988); the Principles
for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and for the Improvement of
Mental Health Care (UN General Assembly resolution 46/119 of December 17,
1991); the Declaration of Caracas of
the Pan American Health Organization; resolution AG/RES. 1249 (XXIII-O/93),
“Situation of Persons with Disabilities in the American Hemisphere”; the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities (UN General Assembly resolution 48/96 of December 20, 1993); the
Declaration of Managua (December 1993); the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action, adopted by the UN World Conference on Human Rights (157/93); resolution
AG/RES. 1356 (XXV-O/95), “Situation of Persons with Disabilities in the
American Hemisphere”; and AG/RES. 1369 (XXVI-O/96), “Panama Commitment to Persons
with Disabilities in the American Hemisphere”; and
COMMITTED
to eliminating discrimination, in all its forms and manifestations, against
persons with disabilities,
HAVE AGREED as follows:
For the purposes of this Convention, the following terms are defined:
1. Disability
The term “disability” means a physical, mental, or sensory impairment, whether permanent or temporary, that limits the capacity to perform one or more essential activities of daily life, and which can be caused or aggravated by the economic and social environment.
2.
Discrimination against persons with disabilities
a. The term “discrimination against
persons with disabilities” means any distinction, exclusion, or restriction
based on a disability, record of disability, condition resulting from a
previous disability, or perception of disability, whether present or past,
which has the effect or objective of impairing or nullifying the recognition,
enjoyment, or exercise by a person with a disability of his or her human rights
and fundamental freedoms.
b. A distinction or preference adopted by a state party to promote the social integration or personal development of persons with disabilities does not constitute discrimination provided that the distinction or preference does not in itself limit the right of persons with disabilities to equality and that individuals with disabilities are not forced to accept such distinction or preference. If, under a state's internal law, a person can be declared legally incompetent, when necessary and appropriate for his or her well-being, such declaration does not constitute discrimination.
The objectives of this Convention are to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities and to promote their full integration into society.
To
achieve the objectives of this Convention, the states parties undertake:
1. To adopt the legislative, social,
educational, labor-related, or any other measures needed to eliminate
discrimination against persons with disabilities and to promote their full
integration into society, including, but not limited to:
a. Measures to eliminate discrimination gradually and to promote integration by government authorities and/or private entities in providing or making available goods, services, facilities, programs, and activities such as employment, transportation, communications, housing, recreation, education, sports, law enforcement and administration of justice, and political and administrative activities;
b. Measures to ensure that new buildings, vehicles, and facilities constructed or manufactured within their respective territories facilitate transportation, communications, and access by persons with disabilities;
c. Measures
to eliminate, to the extent possible, architectural, transportation, and
communication obstacles to facilitate access and use by persons with
disabilities; and
d. Measures
to ensure that persons responsible for applying this Convention and domestic
law in this area are trained to do so.
2. To work on a priority basis in the following areas:
a. Prevention of all forms of preventable disabilities;
b. Early detection and intervention, treatment, rehabilitation, education, job training, and the provision of comprehensive services to ensure the optimal level of independence and quality of life for persons with disabilities; and
c. Increasing of public awareness through educational campaigns aimed at eliminating prejudices, stereotypes, and other attitudes that jeopardize the right of persons to live as equals, thus promoting respect for and coexistence with persons with disabilities;
To achieve the objectives of this Convention, the states parties undertake to:
1. Cooperate with one another in helping to prevent and eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities;
2. Collaborate effectively in:
a. Scientific and technological research related to the prevention of disabilities and to the treatment, rehabilitation, and integration into society of persons with disabilities; and
b. The development of means and resources designed to facilitate or promote the independence, self-sufficiency, and total integration into society of persons with disabilities, under conditions of equality.
1. To the extent that it is consistent with their respective internal laws, the states parties shall promote participation by representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities, nongovernmental organizations working in this area, or, if such organizations do not exist, persons with disabilities, in the development, execution, and evaluation of measures and policies to implement this Convention.
2. The states parties shall create
effective communication channels to disseminate among the public and private
organizations working with persons with disabilities the normative and
juridical advances that may be achieved in order to eliminate discrimination
against persons with disabilities.
ARTICLE VI
1. To follow up on the commitments undertaken in this
Convention, a Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Persons with Disabilities, composed of one representative appointed by
each state party, shall be established.
2. The committee shall hold its first
meeting within the 90 days following the deposit of the 11th instrument of
ratification. Said meeting shall be
convened by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and
shall be held at the Organization’s headquarters, unless a state party offers
to host it.
3. At the first meeting, the states
parties undertake to submit a report to the Secretary General of the
Organization for transmission to the Committee so that it may be examined and
reviewed. Thereafter, reports shall be
submitted every four years.
4. The reports prepared under the previous paragraph shall include information on measures adopted by the member states pursuant to this Convention and on any progress made by the states parties in eliminating all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities. The reports shall indicate any circumstances or difficulties affecting the degree of fulfillment of the obligations arising from this Convention.
5. The Committee shall be the forum for assessment of progress made in the application of the Convention and for the exchange of experience among the states parties. The reports prepared by the committee shall reflect the deliberations; shall include information on any measures adopted by the states parties pursuant to this Convention, on any progress they have made in eliminating all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities, and on any circumstances or difficulties they have encountered in the implementation of the Convention; and shall include the committee's conclusions, its observations, and its general suggestions for the gradual fulfillment of the Convention.
6. The committee shall draft its rules of procedure and adopt them by a simple majority.
7. The Secretary General shall provide the Committee with the support it requires in order to perform its functions.
No provision of this Convention shall be interpreted as restricting, or permitting the restriction by states parties of the enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities recognized by customary international law or the international instruments by which a particular state party is bound.
1. This Convention shall be open for signature by all member states in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on June 8, 1999, and, thereafter, shall remain open for signature by all states at the headquarters of the Organization of American States, until its entry into force.
2. This Convention is subject to ratification.
3. This Convention shall enter into force for the ratifying states on the 30th day following the date of deposit of the sixth instrument of ratification by a member state of the Organization of American States.
After its entry into force, this Convention
shall be open for accession by all states that have not signed it.
1. The instruments of ratification and accession shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.
2.
For each state that ratifies or accedes to the Convention after the
sixth instrument of ratification has been deposited, the Convention shall enter
into force on the 30th day following deposit by that state of its instrument of
ratification or accession.
1. Any state party may make proposals for amendment of this Convention. Said proposals shall be submitted to the General Secretariat of the OAS for dissemination to the states parties.
2. Amendments shall enter into force for the states ratifying them on the date of deposit of the respective instruments of ratification by two thirds of the member states. For the remaining states parties, they shall enter into force on the date of deposit of their respective instruments of ratification.
The states may enter reservations to this Convention when ratifying or acceding to it, provided that such reservations are not incompatible with the aim and purpose of the Convention and relate to one or more specific provisions thereof.
This Convention shall remain in force indefinitely, but any state party may denounce it. The instrument of denunciation shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. The Convention shall cease to have force and effect for the denouncing state one year after the date of deposit of the instrument of denunciation, and shall remain in force for the other states parties. Such denunciation shall not exempt the state party from the obligations imposed upon it under this Convention in respect of any action or omission prior to the date on which the denunciation takes effect.
1. The original instrument of this Convention, the English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, which shall send a certified copy thereof to the United Nations Secretariat for registration and publication pursuant to Article 102 of the United Nations Charter.
2. The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States shall notify the member states of that Organization and the states that have acceded to the Convention of the signatures, deposits of instruments of ratification, accession, and denunciation, and any reservations entered.
AG/RES. 1609 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN DECLARATION ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on “Assaults upon Freedom of the Press and Crimes against Journalists” (CP/CAJP-1488/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1550 (XXVIII-O/98);
BEARING IN MIND that Article 3.l of the Charter of the Organization of American States establishes as one of its principles that “the American States proclaim the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex”;
RECALLING that Article IV of the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man and Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights provide that every person has the right to freedom of investigation, of opinion, and of the expression and dissemination of ideas, by any medium whatsoever;
BEARING IN MIND that the Heads of State and Government, at the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, expressed their support for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in this field, in particular for the recent appointment of a Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression;
CONSIDERING:
That at the same Summit of the Americas held in Santiago, the heads of states and government reaffirmed “the importance of guaranteeing freedom of expression, information, and opinion”;
That the General Assembly, at its twenty-eighth regular session, through resolution AG/RES. 1550 (XXVIII-O/98), instructed the Permanent Council “to study the advisability of preparing an Inter-American Declaration on Freedom of Expression”; and
That the Permanent Council has completed the study mentioned in the preceding paragraph,
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue its work on the preparation of an inter-American Declaration on Freedom of Expression to be presented to a session of the General Assembly no later than the thirtieth regular session.
2. To urge the member states to continue to comply with resolution AG/RES. 1550 (XXVIII-O/98), particularly its operative paragraphs 2 and 4.
AG/RES. 1610 (XXIX-O/99)
PROPOSED AMERICAN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS
OF INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1022 (XIX-O/89), AG/RES. 1479 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98);
CONVINCED that the adoption of a declaration on the rights of indigenous populations will enhance the recognition, promotion, and protection of the rights of those populations, and will contribute to the development of pertinent activities by the Organization of American States in this area;
EXPRESSING ITS GRATITUDE to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Juridical Committee, and the Inter-American Indian Institute for their contributions in preparing a proposed declaration on the rights of indigenous populations;
CONSIDERING that, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98), the Meeting of Government Experts to Examine the Proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Populations was held at OAS headquarters from February 10 to 12, 1999;
HAVING EXAMINED the report of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Permanent Council on the Proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Populations (CP/CAJP-1489/99), in keeping with resolution AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98); and
BEARING IN MIND that, despite the progress made, the Meeting of Government Experts was unable to complete its work, aimed at the adoption of a declaration during this session of the General Assembly, pursuant to the aforementioned resolution AG/RES. 1549 (XXVIII-O/98),
RESOLVES:
1. To establish a working group of the Permanent Council to continue consideration of the Proposed American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Populations.
2. To invite the Working Group to take account of the observations and comments of the member states and of the various organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system.
3. To also invite the Working Group to provide for appropriate participation in its efforts by representatives of indigenous communities, so that their observations and suggestions may be considered.
4. To request the Inter-American Indian Institute to provide the necessary advisory services to the Working Group and to prepare, at the earliest possible date, a report on the actions taken by other international organizations to promote the rights of indigenous populations.
5. To request the General Secretariat and the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to provide any assistance required by the Working Group, which shall hold an initial meeting before the end of this year.
6. To also request the Inter-American Juridical Committee to continue providing legal advice to the Working Group on the proposed Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Populations.
7. To request the Permanent Council to present to the General Assembly, at its thirtieth regular session, a progress report on the activities entrusted to the Working Group.
AG/RES. 1611 (XXIX-O/99)
THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL MIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING EXAMINED the annual report of the Permanent Council on the human rights of all migrant workers and their families (CP/CAJP-1487/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1548 (XXVIII-O/98);
TAKING NOTE of the 1998 annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102/doc.6 rev.);
RECALLING that the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man proclaims that all persons are equal before the law and have the rights and duties established in this Declaration, without distinction as to race, sex, language, creed, or any other factor;
RECALLING ALSO that the American Convention on Human Rights recognizes that essential human rights are not derived from one’s being a national of a certain state, but are based upon attributes of the human personality, and therefore justify international protection;
UNDERSCORING
that the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families establishes the duty of states to
ensure to all migrant workers and members of
their families within the territory or subject to their jurisdiction the rights
provided for in the Convention without distinction of any kind, such as sex,
race, color, language, religion or conviction, political or other opinion,, nationality, age, economic position, property, marital
status, birth, or other status;
BEARING
IN MIND the Declaration and the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the
Americas (Santiago, 1998);
CONSIDERING that many migrant workers and their families are compelled to leave their places of origin in search of better opportunities; and
AWARE of the vulnerable situation in which migrant workers and their families often find themselves, in part because they do not live in their states of origin and because of difficulties arising from cultural differences–especially with respect to language and customs–and in part because their circumstances often lead to the breakdown of the family,
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm that the principles and standards set forth in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and in the American Convention on Human Rights apply to all persons, including migrant workers and their families.
2. To urge those member states that have not yet done so to seriously consider ratification of or, if applicable, accession to the American Convention on Human Rights and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
3. To urge the member states to take the necessary measures to guarantee the human rights of all migrants, including migrant workers and members of their families, as envisaged in the above-mentioned instruments.
4. To emphatically reiterate the duty of the states to ensure full respect and observance of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), particularly in relation to the right of nationals of another state, regardless of their immigration status, to communicate with a consular official of their own state in case of detention and the obligation of the state in whose territory the detention occurs to inform the national of another state of that right.
5. To invite the states parties to cooperate with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights so that it may conclude, as soon as possible, the full report on the human rights situation of all migrant workers and their families.
6. To request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to provide the Special Rapporteur for the rights of all migrant workers and their families with the necessary and appropriate means to perform his or her duties.
7. To call upon the member states, the permanent observers, the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, and other sources to contribute to the voluntary fund of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for the rights of all migrant workers and their families.
8. To recommend to the Inter-American Council for Integral Development that it support projects and activities to benefit all migrant workers and their families, as an expression of inter-American solidarity, an essential element in the integral development of the member states.
9. To request the Organization’s Councils to report to the Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution in their respective areas of competence.
AG/RES. 1612 (XXIX-O/99)
MEETING OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ON
ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the annual report of the Permanent Council on the Meeting of Government Representatives on Electoral Campaign Contributions (CP/CAJP-1492/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1554 (XXVIII-O/98);
NOTING the interest expressed by the delegations attending the Meeting of Government Representatives on Electoral Campaign Contributions, held in Caracas, Venezuela, in February 1998, and the recommendations of that meeting (RECEL/doc.19/98 rev. 2);
CONSIDERING that resolution AG/RES. 1554 (XXVIII-O/98) instructed the Permanent Council to continue its consideration of the topic, bearing in mind the recommendations adopted at the Meeting of Government Representatives on Electoral Campaign Contributions; and
CONSIDERING ALSO that the above-mentioned resolution reiterated the "concern in the Hemisphere that the effective exercise of representative democracy, a fundamental principle enshrined in the OAS Charter, may be threatened by contributions that undermine the integrity of the electoral process,”
RESOLVES:
1. To extend the mandate assigned to the Permanent Council through resolution AG/RES. 1554 (XXVIII-O/98), "Meeting of Government Representatives on Electoral Campaign Contributions,” and to request that the Permanent Council accord it due priority.
2. To reiterate to the General Secretariat that it continue to compile laws governing electoral campaign contributions and to continue its comparative studies of those laws.
AG/RES. 1613 (XXIX-O/99)
SIXTH INTER-AMERICAN SPECIALIZED CONFERENCE ON
PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW (CIDIP-VI)
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council on the Meeting of Experts for the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI) (CP/doc.3185/99) and the Report of the Meeting of Experts (RE/CIDIP-VI/doc.9/98);
BEARING IN MIND that resolution AG/RES. 1393 (XXVI-O/96) convened the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI) and instructed the Permanent Council to approve the agenda for that conference and submit it to the governments of the member states for approval;
CONSIDERING that resolution AG/RES. 1558 (XXVIII-O/98) stated that, "given the technical complexity of the subject, it is advisable to hold a meeting of experts to define the precise scope of the topics proposed for CIDIP-VI and begin the preparatory work for the Conference"; and
BEARING IN MIND:
That the
Permanent Council, through resolution CP/RES. 732 (1173/98), convened the
meeting of experts, which was held in Washington, D.C., on December 3 and 4,
1998; and
That, through resolution
CP/RES. 744 (1185/99), the Permanent Council approved the agenda for the Sixth
Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI)
and resolved to convene two meetings of experts prior to the aforementioned
specialized conference,
RESOLVES:
1. To thank the Permanent Council for approving the following agenda for the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI):
a. Standardized commercial documentation
for international transportation, with special reference to the 1989
Inter-American Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods
by Road, with the possible incorporation of an additional protocol on bills of
lading.
b.
International loan contracts of a private nature, in particular the
uniformity and harmonization of international laws governing transactions
secured with movable property, commercial, and financial guarantees.
c.
Conflicts of laws on extracontractual liability, with an emphasis on
competency of jurisdiction and applicable law with respect to civil
international liability for transboundary pollution.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council to set the date and place, in collaboration with the General Secretariat, for the two meetings of government experts convened through resolution CP/RES. 744 (1185/99) to examine the documentation and prepare studies on the topics identified in the preceding operative paragraph.
3. To request the Permanent Council to transmit to the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI) the results of the aforementioned meetings of government experts.
4. To instruct the Permanent Council to set the date for the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI).
AG/RES. 1614 (XXIX-O/99)
FREE TRADE AND INVESTMENT IN THE HEMISPHERE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING:
Its resolution AG/RES. 1364 (XXVI-O/96), “Free Trade and Investment in the Hemisphere,” in which it instructed the Inter-American Juridical Committee to examine and decide upon the validity under international law of the Helms-Burton Act;
The opinion of the
Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI/RES.II-14/96), in which the Committee
unanimously concluded that “the bases and potential application of the
legislation which is the subject of this Opinion,” in the areas referred to
above, “are not in conformity with international law”;
Resolutions AG/RES. 1447
(XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1532 (XXVIII-O/98), which requested the Permanent
Council to report on this matter; and
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council
on free trade and investment in the Hemisphere (CP/doc.3189/99),
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the Permanent Council on free trade and investment in the Hemisphere, presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1532 (XXVIII-O/98).
2. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on developments in this regard.
AG/RES. 1615 (XXIX-O/99)
MEETING
OF MINISTERS OF JUSTICE OR OF MINISTERS
OR ATTORNEYS GENERAL OF THE AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council on the Second Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas (CP/doc.3186/99);
BEARING IN MIND the agreements of the Heads of State and Government in the Plan of Action adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas, at which, in reference to the “Strengthening of Justice Systems and Judiciaries,” they agreed to support “the convening of periodic meetings of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General of the Hemisphere within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS)”; and
CONSIDERING:
That resolution AG/RES. 1562 (XXVIII-O/98) convened the Second Meeting of
Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas;
That, in resolutions CP/RES. 737 (1176/98) and CP/RES. 739 (1179/98), the Permanent Council set the dates and approved the agenda for that meeting;
That the Council took note of the Final Report of the Second Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA-II/doc.21/99 rev. 1), held in Lima, Peru, from March 1 to 3, 1999; and
That the Permanent Council formed a special group chaired by the Permanent Representative of Peru, with the Permanent Representatives of Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago serving as Vice Chairs, to follow up on the conclusions and recommendations arising from that meeting,
RESOLVES:
1. To express its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Peru for hosting the Second Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas and for the success of the Meeting.
2. To convene the Third Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas; to instruct the Permanent Council to prepare the preliminary documents, set the date, and determine the agenda for that meeting; to thank the Government of Costa Rica for its generous offer to host that meeting; and to accept that offer.
3. To thank the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for its generous offer to host the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas and to accept that offer.
4. To support and recognize the progress being made by the Permanent Council’s Special Group to facilitate the meetings of government experts on the establishment of the Justice Studies Center for the Americas and on cyber crime, among other topics.
5. To instruct the Permanent Council to determine the date and place of, and to convene, a meeting of central authorities, on the recommendation of the Special Group, after consulting with the ministers of justice or ministers or attorneys general, and within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, in order to strengthen cooperation among those authorities in the context of the various conventions on legal and judicial cooperation.
6. To instruct the Permanent Council to take any measures it deems advisable
for its continued consideration of this topic, and to report thereon to the
General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1616 (XXIX-O/99)
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN JURIDICAL COMMITTEE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) (CP/CAJP-1494/99 rev. 1) and the presentation of the report given by the Chair of the CJI; and
CONSIDERING:
That Article 54.f of the Charter of the Organization of American States includes among the powers of the General Assembly that of considering the observations and recommendations presented by the Permanent Council, in accordance with Article 91.f of the Charter, on the reports of the organs and agencies of the Organization;
That Article 53 of the OAS Charter establishes the CJI as one of the organs of the Organization; and
That the CJI has presented its
annual report to the Permanent Council, which has submitted its observations
and recommendations thereon to the General Assembly,
RESOLVES:
1. To accept and forward to the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) the observations and recommendations made by the Permanent Council of the Organization on that Committee's annual report.
2. To express its satisfaction with the work of the CJI in dealing with the priority legal issues of the Organization and, especially, to recognize the support the CJI provides to the General Assembly, the Permanent Council, and that Council’s Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs in preparing draft conventions, model legislation, and other studies it is requested to conduct.
3. To thank
the CJI for its observations on the draft American declaration on the rights of
indigenous peoples, contained in document CJI/doc.29/98 rev. 2; for the opinion
it issued on the draft protocol to amend the Charter of the OAS and Draft
Resolution on the Modification of the American Declaration of the Rights and
Duties of Man: The Situation of Women in the Americas, contained in document
CJI/doc.30/98 rev. 2; and for document CJI/doc.70/98 rev. 2, “Model Legislation
on Illicit Enrichment and Transnational Bribery.”
4. To request the CJI to continue studying the different topics related to enhancing the administration of justice in the Americas, maintaining the necessary coordination and the highest possible degree of cooperation with other organs of the Organization working in this area.
5. To
request the CJI to continue its studies on inter-American cooperation against
terrorism, in particular with respect to the enhancement of legal and judicial
cooperation, including extradition, to combat terrorism, and to cooperate with
the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) in drafting standards in
this area, bearing in mind the decisions reached by the OAS member states at
the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism (Lima, Peru, April
1996); the conclusions of the Meeting of Government Experts on Cooperation to
Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism (Washington, D.C., May 1997); and the
decisions reached at the Second Inter-American Specialized Conference on
Terrorism (Mar del Plata, Argentina, November 1998).
6. To urge the CJI to continue its study of democracy in the inter-American system, taking into account the latest developments and studies in this area.
7. To request CJI assistance in drafting the preparatory documents for the Sixth Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VI).
8. To request that the CJI continue studying the various legal
topics related to integration and, particularly, that it identify those
subjects it considers most important in terms of the current process of
hemispheric integration; and, further, to recognize the importance of
maintaining proper coordination among the CJI, the Permanent Council, the
Special Committee on Trade, and the General Secretariat through its Secretariat
for Legal Affairs and the Trade Unit.
9. To recommend the holding, in special cases, of sessions at the headquarters of the Organization or in member states, in keeping with Article 105 of the OAS Charter, in order to spread information on and awareness of the CJI’s work more widely and to achieve more active participation by the CJI in the legal activities of the Organization. Any regular sessions the CJI holds away from its headquarters must be financed out of its regular budget.
10.
To reiterate that
it is necessary to establish closer ties between the CJI and the political
organs of the OAS and, in particular, with the Committee on Juridical and
Political Affairs of the Permanent Council.
11.
To note with
satisfaction and acknowledge the value of meetings between the CJI and
consultants and legal advisers of the foreign ministries of member states to
establish ever closer ties among them; and to congratulate the CJI on having
held the third meeting of this type in Rio de Janeiro in August 1998.
12.
To underscore the
importance of holding the Course on International Law, organized each year by
the CJI, in cooperation with the General Secretariat; to express support for
the decision to build the program around a theme; and to request the CJI and
the General Secretariat to publicize the Course as much as possible in all
member states.
13.
To support, in
accordance with resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources,
the Committee’s efforts to involve more professors in the Course; to request
the General Secretariat to study the possibility of increasing the number of
fellowship-holders attending the Course; and to adopt measures to encourage
horizontal cooperation among member states to achieve these ends.
14.
To point to the
participation of members of the CJI at various conferences and meetings organized
by international organizations.
15.
To encourage the
CJI to continue its cooperation activities with other international and
national organizations, both governmental and nongovernmental, in order to
deepen understanding of legal developments at the international level.
16.
To take note of
the agenda adopted by the CJI for its next regular session; to recommend
eliminating from it items that are not top priorities for the Organization; and
to include in it the agreements and decisions adopted by the General Assembly
on matters related to the sphere of competence of the CJI.
17.
To emphasize the
need to give the CJI the administrative and budgetary support to enable it to
address adequately the issues on the current inter-American legal agenda and
make recommendations thereon.
AG/RES. 1617 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN
PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1557 (XXVIII-O/98), "Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law";
CONSIDERING:
That resolution AG/RES. 1471 (XXVII-O/97) adopted the Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law, the implementation of which calls for various activities in areas ranging from dissemination, training, and teaching to cooperation in both public and private international law;
That resolution AG/RES. 1557 (XXVIII-O/98) assigned “priority to the provisions of the chapter on the teaching of inter-American international law”; and
That the Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law also stressed the need to promote publications that provide for inter-American legal topics to be raised, publicized, and discussed;
BEARING IN MIND the activities carried out by the General Secretariat to implement this inter-American program; and
NOTING WITH CONCERN that, in recent years, the Organization's legal publications have declined significantly in number,
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm the necessity of continuing to carry out the various activities listed in the Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law as an indispensable means of strengthening international law.
2. To urge
the General Secretariat, through the Secretariat for Legal Affairs, to continue
to organize subregional courses on international law in consultation with the
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Permanent Council.
3. To request the General Secretariat to resume without delay publication of the Inter-American Juridical Yearbook, so that it may bring together and make available the most expert doctrine in the Hemisphere on the various aspects and topics of inter-American law and new developments on the hemispheric agenda, and to ensure its widest possible distribution.
4. Also to request the General Secretariat to submit to the Permanent Council, within two months, a report containing proposals for publications, which shall cover both matters of distribution and means of financing.
5. To request the General Secretariat, through the Secretariat for Legal Affairs, and in order to allow for an ongoing exchange of information among scholars of international law, to set up a network made up initially of former fellows and professors of the Course on International Law, which is held each year in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
6. To instruct the Permanent Council to monitor the implementation of this resolution, which shall be carried out within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources; and to request that Council to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1618 (XXIX-O/99)
Legal Development of Integration
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE
General Assembly,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the Legal Development of Integration (CP/CAJP-1516/99); and
BEARING IN MIND that the General Assembly, at its twenty-eighth regular session, by way of resolution AG/RES. 1559 (XXVIII-O/98), “Legal Development of Integration,” requested the General Secretariat to conduct various studies, which are now under way, and instructed the Permanent Council to organize a meeting of government experts for the first quarter of the year 2000,
RESOLVES:
1. To renew the request, issued to the General Secretariat in operative paragraph 1 of resolution AG/RES. 1559 (XXVIII-O/98), for studies and documents that are to be presented to the Permanent Council before December 31, 1999.
2.
To instruct the
Permanent Council to study the advisability of convening a meeting of
government authorities and other experts, as a follow-up to the meeting held in
March 1997 in Montevideo, Uruguay, in accordance with resources allocated in
the program-budget and other resources.
3.
To request the
Permanent Council to report in due course to the General Assembly on the
implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1619 (XXIX-O/99)
PromoTION OF AND RESPECT FOR INTERNATIONAL
HUMANITARIAN LAW
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1270 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1335 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1408 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1503 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1565 (XXVIII-O/98),
DEEPLY CONCERNED over the persistent violations of international humanitarian law occurring throughout the world and, in particular, over the fate of the civilian population, which is increasingly subject to attacks that contravene the applicable fundamental rules;
RECALLING that it is the obligation of all states to observe and enforce in all circumstances the standards established in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and, where applicable, for the states that are parties thereto, those contained in the 1977 Additional Protocols to those conventions;
UNDERSCORING the need to strengthen the principles of international humanitarian law by achieving its universal acceptance, its widest dissemination, and comprehensive application of its provisions;
AWARE of the need to punish those responsible for war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, especially the most common violations, and noting, within this context, that the Statute of the International Criminal Court was opened for signature in Rome, on July 17, 1998, at the close of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries, held under United Nations auspices;
RECOGNIZING ONCE MORE the ongoing efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to promote and disseminate knowledge of international humanitarian law and the activities it carries out as an organization that is independent, neutral, and impartial under any and all circumstances; and
HAVING CONSIDERED the report of the Permanent Council (CP/CAJP-1599/99),
RESOLVES:
1. To urge the member states that have not yet done so to consider ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocols I and II to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, or, if applicable, accession thereto.
2. To also urge the member states that have not yet done so to consider ratification of, or, if applicable, accession to, the following instruments relating to weapons which may be excessively harmful or have indiscriminate effects:
a. The 1980 Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (and its Protocols);
b. The 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction; and
c. The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
3. To underscore how important it is for the states, in implementing the body of international humanitarian law, to pay special attention to the following provisions:
a. The widest possible dissemination of international humanitarian law among the armed forces and security forces, by including it in official instruction programs and in training permanent staff in this field in the armed forces;
b. The enactment of the criminal laws required to punish those responsible for war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law;
c. The enactment of legislation to regulate the use of symbols protected under international humanitarian law and to punish abuses thereof; and
d. The obligation, when studying, developing, acquiring, or adopting a new weapon, to determine if its use would violate international humanitarian law, and, if it would, to desist from procuring it for use by the armed forces or security forces and from manufacturing it for other purposes.
4. To call upon the member states and all parties to an armed conflict to prevent the participation of children in hostilities, as well as their recruitment in the armed forces and in organized armed groups.
5.
To urge member
states to take the necessary steps to ensure that the staff of humanitarian
organizations are respected and protected in their territories.
6. To urge the member states and all parties to an armed conflict to help preserve the impartiality, independence, and neutrality of humanitarian action in accordance with the guiding principles adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 46/182, dated December 19, 1991.
7. To urge the member states to participate actively in the 27th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to be held in Geneva from October 31 to November 6, 1999.
8. To invite the member states to continue to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in its various spheres of responsibility and to facilitate its work.
9. To invite the Permanent Council, in close coordination with the ICRC, to hold a high-level seminar in the second half of 1999 on the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, in keeping with resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
10. To request the Secretary General to obtain reports from the member states on the implementation of this resolution and to present a report to the Permanent Council before the General Assembly’s thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1620 (XXIX-O/99)
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR PEACE IN THE HEMISPHERE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99), and in particular the chapter on hemispheric security relating to the Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere (CP/CSH-184/99);
RECALLING its decision set out in resolution AG/RES. 1604 (XXVIII-O/98) to convene a meeting of experts from member states to design a draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere; and
BEARING IN MIND the recommendations by the Permanent Council with regard to the holding of the aforementioned meeting of experts,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the Report by the Permanent Council and its recommendations related to the Meeting of Experts to Design a Draft Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere.
2. To reiterate the importance of a Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere as a confidence- and security-building measure.
3. To reiterate its appreciation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its assistance in the development of this topic and in the holding of the said Meeting of Experts.
4. To thank the Government of Colombia for, and to accept, its generous offer to host the said Meeting of Experts in the city of Cartagena.
5. To
set October 14 and 15, 1999 as the dates for the said Meeting of Experts.
6. To
approve the following Draft Agenda for the said Meeting of Experts:
“Design a draft Program of Education for Peace
in the Hemisphere, taking into account the following:
a. Education
and peaceful settlement of conflicts
b. Education
and the promotion of democratic values and practices
c. Education
and the promotion of peace between states.”
7. To
invite UNESCO and other pertinent institutions, including the Inter-American
Defense College (IADC), the University for Peace, and the Latin American
Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), to participate in the said Meeting of
Experts.
8. To instruct the Permanent Council to
consider, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security, the draft Program on
Education for Peace, to be designed by the said Meeting of Experts, and to take
action aimed at the implementation of the said Program on Education.
9. To
instruct the General Secretariat to continue lending its support to the
Permanent Council and the Committee on Hemispheric Security in their execution
of the mandates contained in this resolution.
AG/RES. 1621 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION AGAINST THE ILLICIT MANUFACTURING
OF AND TRAFFICKING IN FIREARMS, AMMUNITION, EXPLOSIVES,
AND OTHER RELATED MATERIALS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING resolution AG/RES. 1 (XXIV-E/97), in which it resolved to adopt and open for signature the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials;
WELCOMING the fact that the majority of member states of the Organization of American States have signed the Convention, which entered into force on July 1, 1998;
REAFFIRMING its determination to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials because of the harmful effects of these activities on the security of each state and the region as a whole, since they jeopardize the well-being of peoples, their social and economic development, and their right to live in peace;
STRESSING the urgent need for all states to take the appropriate measures to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials and to cooperate with one another in this area;
UNDERSCORING the importance of the Convention’s earliest possible entry into force in each of the member states of the Organization of American States as soon as possible; and
RECALLING that, under Article XXI of the Convention, the first regular meeting of the Consultative Committee shall be held within 90 days following deposit of the 10th instrument of ratification of the Convention; and emphasizing in this connection the importance of allowing the Consultative Committee to begin its work as envisaged in the Convention,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge all states that have not already done so to sign and/or ratify the Convention without delay.
2. To underscore the significance of the fact that the Convention has been taken as a model for negotiation of a Protocol to combat the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition within the framework of the negotiation of a convention against organized international crime, under the auspices of the United Nations.
3. To request the Secretary General to take the necessary steps to convene the first meeting of the Consultative Committee, pursuant to Article XXI of the Convention, as soon as he receives the 10th instrument of ratification.
4. To likewise request the Secretary General to present a report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the status of signatures and ratifications of the Convention.
AG/RES. 1622 (XXIX-O/99)
CONSOLIDATION OF THE REGIME ESTABLISHED IN THE
TREATY FOR
THE PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN LATIN AMERICA
AND THE CARIBBEAN (TREATY OF TLATELOLCO)
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING its previous resolutions on this topic, especially resolutions AG/RES. 1499 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1571 (XXVIII-O/98);
CONVINCED that the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones is an important step, which significantly strengthens all aspects of the international nonproliferation regime, thus contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security;
CONVINCED ALSO that, as stated in the preamble to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, militarily denuclearized zones are not an end in themselves but rather a means for achieving general and complete disarmament at a later stage;
RECOGNIZING that the Treaty of Tlatelolco has become the model for the establishment of other nuclear-weapon-free zones in various regions of the world, such as the South Pacific (Treaty of Rarotonga), Southeast Asia (Treaty of Bangkok), and Africa (Treaty of Pelindaba), which, when they enter into force, will cover more than half the countries of the world and all the territories in the Southern Hemisphere;
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION that on August 21, 1998, Guatemala deposited its instrument of ratification of the amendment to the Treaty approved by resolution 267 (E-V) of the General Conference of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL);
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION ALSO that on January 18 and 20, 1999, respectively, Colombia and Costa Rica, deposited their instruments of ratification of the amendments to the Treaty approved by resolutions 267 (E-V), 268 (XII), and 290 (E-VII) of the General Conference of OPANAL; and
BEARING IN MIND that the Treaty of Tlatelolco is now in force for 32 sovereign states of the region,
RESOLVES:
1. To welcome the steps taken by a number of countries in the region to consolidate the regime established by the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
2. To urge the states of the region that have not yet done so to deposit their instruments of ratification of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, as well as of the amendments to the Treaty approved by the General Conference of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) in resolutions 267 (E-V), 268 (XII), and 290 (E-VII).
3. To reaffirm the importance of strengthening OPANAL as the appropriate legal and political forum for ensuring unqualified observance of the Treaty in its zone of application and cooperation with the agencies of other nuclear-weapon-free zones.
4. To renew its appeal to those states that have not yet done so to negotiate, as soon as possible, multilateral or bilateral agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency for application of that Agency’s safeguards to their nuclear activities, as stipulated in Article 13 of the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
5. To reaffirm its commitment to continue striving for a nonproliferation regime that is universal, genuine, and nondiscriminatory in every aspect.
6. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary General of OPANAL and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
AG/RES. 1623 (XXIX-O/99)
CONFIDENCE- AND SECURITY-BUILDING IN THE
AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and, in particular, the section dealing with the Report of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-180/99 rev. 3), which includes the subject “Confidence- and Security-Building in the Americas”;
BEARING IN MIND that, under Article 2 of the
Charter of the Organization of American States, one of the essential purposes
of the Organization is to strengthen the peace and security of the continent;
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1121 (XXI-O/91) and AG/RES. 1123 (XXI-O/91), on strengthening peace and security in the Hemisphere, and AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1237 (XXIII-O/93), AG/RES. 1284 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1353 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1409 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1494 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), on confidence- and security-building measures;
EMPHASIZING the importance of the Declaration of San Salvador and the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, which recommend that confidence- and security-building measures be applied in the manner deemed most appropriate;
RECOGNIZING the consolidation of democracy in the region, efforts to promote disarmament and international peace and security, and the willingness of states to continue strengthening confidence and security in the Hemisphere;
NOTING the significant progress made in identifying and applying confidence- and security-building measures since the adoption of the Declaration of Santiago, which has helped to reduce factors that generate distrust and has contributed to the promotion of transparency and mutual confidence, in keeping with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the Organization of American States, respect for international law, and the promotion of friendly and cooperative relations among states in the region;
NOTING
with satisfaction the request made by the Governments of Argentina and Chile on
July 30, 1998, to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and
the Caribbean (ECLAC) that it develop a common methodology in order to
facilitate the comparison of military expenditures of the two countries;
NOTING likewise with satisfaction the entry into force on December 26, 1997, of the Framework Treaty on Democratic Security in Central America and the Declaration of the Presidents of Central America and the Dominican Republic and the Representative of the Prime Minister of Belize on the Non Participation in the Acquisition of Strategic High-Technology and High-Cost Weapons of Mass Destruction, on November 6, 1997;
NOTING the results of the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas held in Cartagena de Indias from November 29 to December 3, 1998; and
REAFFIRMING:
That respect for international law, faithful adherence to treaties, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for state sovereignty and the principle of nonintervention, and prohibition of the use or threat of use of force, as set forth in the Charters of the OAS and the United Nations (UN), are the basis for peaceful coexistence and security in the Hemisphere and constitute the framework for the development of confidence- and security-building measures; and
That the application of confidence- and security-building measures, through practical and useful actions, will facilitate more far-reaching cooperation processes in the future in areas such as arms control and hemispheric security,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge member states to implement in the manner they deem most appropriate the recommendations of the Declaration of San Salvador and the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and of resolution AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92).
2.
To call on all
member states to continue to provide to the Secretary General, prior to April
15 each year, information on the application of confidence- and security-building
measures, so as to facilitate the preparation of the complete and systematic
inventory of these measures, in light of the provisions of the Declaration of
San Salvador and the Declaration of Santiago and resolutions AG/RES. 1284
(XXIV-O/94) and AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94); and to commend member states that
have regularly submitted their reports to that end.
3. To request the Secretary General to maintain and facilitate access to the comprehensive inventory of confidence- and security-building measures which the member states have submitted pursuant to the previous paragraph.
4. To urge member states once again to continue promoting transparency in matters related to defense policy, among other aspects, with regard to modernizing the armed forces, including changes in their structure and composition, and acquisition of equipment and materiel, in addition to presenting information that will make it possible to compare military expenditures in the region.
5. To request the Permanent Council to consider, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, actions to promote the development and exchange of information concerning defense policies and doctrines.
6. To reiterate once again the importance of full participation by all member states in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, and of providing the required information for the preparation of the United Nations Standardized International Reporting of Military Expenditures, in accordance with the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly; and to renew its request that member states provide said information to the Secretary General by June 15 of each year.
7. To request the Permanent Council to take the necessary steps, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, to hold, no later than the first quarter of 2000, a meeting of parliamentarians on confidence- and security-building measures, as called for in the Declaration of San Salvador.
8. To urge member states once again to
continue consultations and the exchange of ideas within the Hemisphere so as to
make progress in the limitation and control of conventional arms in the region;
and to instruct the Permanent Council to endeavor, through the Committee on
Hemispheric Security, to advance the development of the most appropriate
approach making it possible, at the regional level, to increase transparency
and address questions related to conventional arms.
9. To recall the mandate set forth in resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), which instructed the Permanent Council to hold each year a special meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security with the participation of experts dedicated to the analysis and exchange of information on confidence- and security-building measures in the region, especially those identified in the Declaration of San Salvador and the Declaration of Santiago.
10. To request the Secretary General to update each year, on the basis of information submitted by the member states, the roster of experts on confidence- and security-building measures, and to circulate it to the member states each year by June 1.
11. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to support the participation of the Committee on Hemispheric Security in other regional forums, such as the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas.
12. Likewise to instruct the Permanent Council to continue to encourage the exchange of experience in the area of confidence- and security- building measures with other regions, which may include the exchange of information between the Committee on Hemispheric Security and other international organizations working on the subject, such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum.
13. To instruct the Permanent Council to hold, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, a seminar, attended by representatives of other regional organizations, for the exchange of experience on conflict resolution, the contribution of confidence- and security-building measures to conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict reconstruction.
14. To request the Permanent Council to hold, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, the next round of OAS-OSCE consultations in the year 2000 at the OAS.
15. To instruct the Permanent Council to consider, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, the possibility of holding, in due course, another regional conference on confidence- and security- building measures.
16. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution in keeping with resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
17. To renew its invitation to the Inter-American Defense to provide, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1240 (XXIII-O/93), advisory and consultative services in matters related to confidence- and security-building measures of a military nature; and to request it to keep an updated inventory of these measures.
18. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly on the implementation of this resolution.
19.
To request the
Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the
United Nations and the Secretary General of the OSCE and to other pertinent
regional organizations.
AG/RES. 1624 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE
DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, STOCKPILING AND USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent
Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and in particular, the section dealing with the Report
of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-202/99 rev. 1) which includes
the subject “Inter-American Support for the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on
Their Destruction”;
REAFFIRMING that one of the essential purposes of the Organization of American States (OAS) is the strengthening of peace and security of the continent;
BEARING IN MIND the pledge of Heads of State and Government in the Santiago Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas to continue promoting transparency in matters related to defense policy;
RECALLING its resolution on “Cooperation for Security and Development in the Hemisphere: Regional Contributions to Global Security” [AG/RES. 1236 (XXIII-O/93)] which recognized the efforts of the member states to contribute to regional and global security and which commended them for their accession to the principles of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction;
RECALLING FURTHER that in its resolution AG/RES. 1236 (XXIII-O/93) it requested that the Special Committee on Hemispheric Security consider, inter alia, “the prevention of all forms of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems by the adoption of appropriate controls on the exportation of dual-use goods and technologies, taking due account of their legitimate use for peaceful purposes”;
WELCOMING the fact that the majority of member states of the Organization of American States signed the Convention, which entered into force on April 29, 1997;
BEARING IN MIND that the Convention is now in force for 20 of the 35 member states of the Organization of American States;
EMPHASIZING the urgent need for all states to take the necessary measures to prevent the spread and use of chemical weapons;
NOTING that universal adherence to and fulfillment of this Convention is the best defense against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons;
UNDERSCORING the importance of the Convention entering into force in each of the member states of the Organization of American States as soon as possible;
NOTING that the next Conference of States Parties of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons takes place in The Hague from June 28 to July 2, 1999; and
FURTHER NOTING that as of April 29, 2000, the chemicals listed in Schedule 2 of the Convention shall only be transferred to or received from states parties, including for activities not prohibited by the Convention,
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.
2. To welcome the specific steps taken by a number of member states of the Organization of American States to implement and consolidate the regime established by the said Convention.
3. To urge the governments of the region that have not yet done
so, to ratify or accede to the Convention as soon as possible.
4. To request that the General Secretariat transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
AG/RES. 1625 (XXIX-O/99)
STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE AMERICAS AND STRENGTHENING
AND
MODERNIZATION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION OF WOMEN
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
The General Assembly,
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1422 (XXVI-O/96), “Cooperation within the Inter-American System to Ensure Full and Equal Participation by Women in the Development Process”; AG/RES. 1432 (XXVI-O/96), “Status of Women in the Americas”; AG/RES. 1451 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1586 (XXVIII-O/98), “Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization”;
BEARING IN MIND AG/RES. 1592 (XXVIII-O/98), “Status of Women in the Americas and Strengthening of the Inter-American Commission of Women,” presented by the mechanism for coordination of the topic "Status of Women in the Americas" of the Permanent Council, which invited the Inter-American Commission of Women to carry out a series of activities aimed at strengthening the Commission, including the preparation of a draft "Inter-American Program on the Promotion on Women's Rights and Gender Equity"; the promotion, in coordination with other inter-American organs, agencies, and entities, of forums, seminars, and meetings among the national authorities in the member states responsible for women's issues, and the holding of meetings among agencies of the inter-American system;
NOTING resolution CP/RES. 717 (1147/98), “70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM)”;
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION resolution CIM/RES. 209 (XXIX-O/98) “Strengthening and Modernization of the Inter-American Commission of Women,” of the CIM Assembly of Delegates which, among other things, urges the governments of the member states to support the activities of the CIM delegates; urges the permanent representatives of the member states to the OAS to appoint, if one does not exist, an official from their respective missions with whom the CIM Permanent Secretariat may maintain contact to reinforce involvement by the principal delegates in the CIM's activities; requests inclusion on the agenda of the General Assembly of the item “Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women’s Rights and Gender Equity”; and resolves to encourage and agree upon, within the OAS, a meeting of ministers or of the highest-ranking authorities responsible for policies for the advancement of women in the member states, with the participation of the CIM delegates;
CONSIDERING that the CIM Strategic Plan of Action establishes strategies for ensuring and guaranteeing the role of women to the year 2000 and assigns, for the five-year period, priority to the participation of women in power and decision-making structures, and to education, the elimination of violence, and the eradication of poverty;
BEARING IN MIND the plans of action of the First and the Second Summit of the Americas, which set forth the need to: (a) strengthen policies and programs to improve and broaden the participation of women in all spheres of political, social, and economic life; (b) strengthen and establish, where they do not exist, national mechanisms and governmental agencies charged with promoting legal equality and equal opportunities for women and men, focused on gender equity, and provide them with adequate and timely financial resources, and (c) further strengthen the Inter-American Commission of Women;
HIGHLIGHTING the resolutions approved at the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates of the CIM, held in November 1998, and in particular resolution CIM/Res. 198 (XXIX-O/98), “CIM Plan of Action for the Participation of Women in Power and Decision-Making Structures,” and CIM/RES. 195 (XXIX-O/98), “Declaration of Santo Domingo,” which states that the rights of women, throughout their lives, are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of universal human rights, and that it is imperative to ensure full observance of the human rights of women so as to eliminate all discriminatory situations and recognize women’s legal capacity and equality under the law;
RECOGNIZING that the CIM, established in 1928 by a resolution of the Sixth International Conference of American States, was the first intergovernmental organization in the world founded expressly to fight for the civil and political rights of women in the Hemisphere;
UNDERLINING that the purpose of the CIM is to promote and protect the rights of women and support the member states in their efforts to ensure full access to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, which will permit women and men to participate under equal conditions in all aspects of social life, so that they may enjoy fully and equitably the benefits of development; and
AWARE that, to achieve its objectives, it is necessary to promote the institutional strengthening of the CIM, which requires the ongoing political support of the OAS member states, and to find a solution to the various budgetary matters confronting it,
RESOLVES:
1. To call a meeting of ministers or of the highest-ranking authorities responsible for the advancement of women in the member states, during the first three months of the year 2000, and to request that necessary funds from the year 2000 program-budget be assigned for holding that meeting.
2. To request the CIM, acting as coordinator for the aforementioned meeting, to prepare a draft agenda that will include, among other things, approval of the "Draft Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women’s Rights and Gender Equity," and consideration of the commitments adopted by the Summit of the Americas.
3. To request the CIM to keep the Permanent Council informed of the progress made in the preparatory work of said meeting, taking into account any possible recommendations of that organ.
4. To urge the member states to support the activities being carried out by the CIM delegates to support and contribute to the holding of the aforementioned meeting.
5. To reiterate to the General Secretariat and the Permanent Council the contents of its resolution AG/RES. 1586 (XXVIII-O/98), with a view to improving the financial condition of the Inter-American Commission of Women.
6. To decide to include on the agenda of the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly the item: Approval of the “Inter-American Program on the Promotion of Women’s Rights and Gender Equity,” and to request the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
7. To support the initiative of the Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates of the CIM regarding the establishment of a system of communication and ongoing cooperation with nongovernmental organizations of civil society.
8. To encourage the CIM to continue developing the initiative of establishing an information network as the ideal mechanism to ensure effective coordination and the exchange of information both with the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system and with the areas of the OAS General Secretariat and civil society organizations, and among delegates of the CIM and national cooperation committees.
AG/RES. 1626 (XXIX-O/99)
FIRST BIENNIAL REPORT
ON COMPLIANCE WITH RESOLUTION AG/RES. 1456
(XXVII-O/97), “PROMOTION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION ON
THE PREVENTION, PUNISHMENT, AND ERADICATION OF VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN ‘CONVENTION OF BELÉM DO PARÁ’”
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING resolution AG/RES. 1456 (XXVII-O/97), “Promotion of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women ‘Convention of Belém do Pará,’” which, to ensure follow-up of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, instructed the Permanent Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) to present biennial reports to the General Assembly on progress made in the Convention’s application and on experiences and results achieved through the initiatives and programs pursued in the member states to combat violence against women;
BEARING IN MIND that, in operative paragraph 8 of resolution AG/RES. 1606 (XXVIII-O/98), “Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights,” the General Assembly expresses appreciation for and takes note of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Women’s Rights and encourages the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue its consideration of the matter; and
CONSIDERING that, to date, 29 countries have ratified the Convention of Belém do Pará, thus demonstrating their support for and interest in the subject of violence against women;
RECOGNIZING that although the CIM report shows that efforts are being made throughout the Hemisphere to attain the objectives of the Convention of Belém do Pará, violence persists and is of such a magnitude that strategies must continue to be implemented to free women from that scourge;
AWARE that the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the Status of Women in the Americas, submitted to the General Assembly for consideration at its twenty-eighth regular session, also concludes that “the situations such as those described in which women who are victims of violence are left unprotected still exist because of a lack of adequate legislation or because the legislation in force is not observed”; and that the report, in its recommendations to the OAS member states, urges those that have not yet done so to ratify the Convention of Belém do Pará, to demonstrate their commitment to the subject; and
RECALLING that, in the plans of action adopted at the First and the Second Summit of the Americas, a commitment was made, regarding the subject of women, to take steps to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women, as was done in the CIM Strategic Plan of Action, which assigned priority to this topic,
RESOLVES:
1. To note with satisfaction the First Biennial Report to the General Assembly on compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1456 (XXVII-O/97), “Promotion of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women, ‘Convention of Belém do Pará.’”
2. To express its satisfaction with the progress made by the CIM and the member states in promoting the Convention and attaining its objectives, in accordance with the priorities established in the plans of action of the Summits of the Americas, the CIM Strategic Plan of Action, and the report of the IACHR on the subject.
3. To encourage governments that have not yet done so to ratify the Convention of Belém do Pará, urging all member states to continue to promote measures to prevent, punish, and eradicate violence against women in the Hemisphere, especially by adapting their legislations in pursuance of this objective.
4. To urge the CIM and the
member states to continue to develop strategies for attaining the objectives of
this Convention, and to publish the results in the next CIM follow-up report.
AG/RES. 1627 (XXIX-O/99)
APPOINTMENT
OF WOMEN TO SENIOR
MANAGEMENT POSITIONS AT THE OAS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING that resolution AG/RES. 1303
(XXIV-O/94) requested the Secretary General of the OAS to increase the number
of women in senior-level positions in the General Secretariat;
RECALLING that resolution AG/RES. 1588
(XXVIII-O/98) regarding the sixth biennial report of the Secretary General of
the OAS on compliance with resolution AG/RES. 829 (XVI-O/86), “Full and Equal
Participation of Women by the Year 2000,” urged that equal opportunity be
guaranteed for all persons being considered for appointment to high-level
positions within the Organization;
BEARING IN MIND Article 120 of the Charter of
the Organization of American States, and Article 37 of the General Standards,
which stipulates that first consideration shall be given to efficiency,
competence, and integrity in the recruitment of General Secretariat personnel,
but that importance shall also be attached to the criterion of the widest
possible geographic distribution in hiring personnel at all levels; and Article
137 of the Charter of the Organization, which states that the Organization of
American States does not allow any restriction based on race, creed, or sex
with respect to eligibility to hold positions in the Organization and to
participate in its activities;
BEARING IN MIND that the question of personnel
policy reform is being considered by the Special Joint Working Group on the
Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS;
RECALLING that the CIM Plan of Action on
Women’s Participation in Power and Decision-Making Structures, adopted by the
Twenty-ninth Assembly of Delegates of the CIM, urges that areas for priority
action include the promotion of equal opportunities in the classification of
posts and procedures, the encouragement of upward mobility in the civil
service, and the fostering of similar principles in various organizations and
public institutions, such as the OAS;
BEARING IN
MIND that, at its fifty-second regular session, the General Assembly of the
United Nations, by resolution 52/96, “Improvement of the Status of Women in the
Secretariat,” reaffirmed the goal that women occupy 50% of all categories of
posts by the year 2000, and called upon the Secretary-General of the United
Nations to achieve the goal of 50/50 gender distribution by the year 2000,
especially at the D-1 level and above; and
RECOGNIZING
that at the OAS, as of December 1990, the percentage of women at high-level
executive posts was 19% at the D-2 level, 20% at the D-1 level, 11% at the P-5
level and 23% at P-4 level and, and as of December of 1998 the proportion was 9%
at the D-2 level, 17% at the D-1 level, 20% at the P-5 level and 51% at the P-4
level,
RESOLVES:
1. To
urge the Secretary General to establish as an objective that, by the year 2005,
women should occupy 50% of posts in all categories of the OAS system,
particularly at the P-4 grade and above.
2. To
exhort the Secretary General of the OAS to undertake to achieve this objective
and offer assurances that gender equality will be one of the priorities in his
continuing efforts to establish a new management culture in the Organization
and to present a proposal on the best way to achieve this to the Special Joint
Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for
Integral Development (CIDI) on Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS, which
would be discussed under the item on personnel policy reform, with a request to
the Chair of the Working Group that he report to the President of the CIM on
the outcome of this proposal.
3. To
urge the Secretary General to appoint qualified women as representatives and
special envoys so that they may use their good offices in representing the
Secretary General in matters relating to all areas and sectors.
4. To
request the Secretary General to establish policies of gender equality in the
workplace and make each manager accountable for the application of these
policies.
5. To
urge the principal CIM delegates to lend their support to the measures taken by
the Secretary General of the OAS and the President of the CIM to identify,
through the permanent missions of the OAS, the most highly-qualified candidates
to occupy positions of trust within the OAS and to encourage more women to
apply for vacant positions within the General Secretariat, specialized
agencies, and inter-American committees, for which the widest possible means of
dissemination will be used.
6. To
request the Secretary General of the OAS to report to the President and
Executive Committee of the CIM every year on the implementation of this
resolution, and to provide them with relevant Department of Human Resources
statistics.
AG/RES. 1628 (XXIX-O/99)
FELLOWSHIP AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the OAS Fellowship and Training Programs (CP/doc.3205/99);
RECALLING
its resolutions AG/RES. 1277 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1317 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1381
(XXVI-O/96), and AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97), on the program-budget of the
Organization, specifically the sections corresponding to fellowships, as well
as its resolutions AG/RES. 1460 (XXVII-O/97)
and AG/RES. 1582 (XXVIII-O/98), on the OAS Fellowship and Training Programs;
BEARING
IN MIND the recommendations of the Meeting of the Working Group to Study the
Fellowship and Training Programs with Authorities Responsible for Training and
Fellowships, held on April 28 and 29, 1997 (GT/BECAP-28/97 rev. 2);
CONSIDERING that the Permanent Council, through its resolution CP/RES. 740 (1179/98), approved the “Manual of Procedures of Fellowship and Training Programs for the Organization of American States”;
CONSIDERING ALSO that, through resolutions AG/RES. 1460 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1582 (XXVIII-O/98), the General Assembly requested the Permanent Council to complete its study on the establishment and financing of a Capital Fund as one of the instruments to finance the OAS Fellowship and Training Programs, and that the General Secretariat presented the document "Preliminary Draft Statutes of the OAS Capital Fund for Fellowships” (CP/doc.3002/98) to the Permanent Council for its consideration;
RECALLING ALSO that, through its resolution AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97), the General Assembly authorized the deposit, at the end of fiscal year 1998, of any available unused or deobligated funds from the resources of the Fellowship Program, object 3; and
BEARING IN MIND the "Report on the Budget Execution and Transfers of Appropriations between Chapters of the Regular Fund as of December 31, 1998” (CP/doc.3143/99), which sets the amount of US$415,941 in order to create the capital subfund for the Fellowship Program,
RESOLVES:
1. To acknowledge the establishment of the Capital Fund as one of the instruments to finance the fellowship and training programs, in accordance with its resolution AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97).
2. To request the Permanent Council1/ to review and approve the Statutes of the Capital Fund for OAS Fellowship and Training Programs, by October 1, 1999. Those statutes should include provisions for fund-raising activities to be initiated as soon as statutes are in force.
3. To instruct the General Secretariat to deposit into the Capital Fund any available unused or deobligated funds from the resources of the fellowship program that accrue during 1999.
4. To invite the member states, the permanent observers, and other states to make contributions on a voluntary basis to the Capital Fund for OAS Fellowship and Training Programs.
5. To instruct the Secretary General, within allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources, and taking into account operative paragraph 2, to begin immediately fund raising activities, such as proposal writing, to promote private-sector donations to the Capital Fund for OAS Fellowship and Training Programs and present each year by the end of March a detailed report on the results.
6. To request the Permanent Council1/ to consider the advisability of holding and, if it so deems, of convening, in the second half of the year 2000, a special meeting of authorities of the member states responsible for training and fellowships, with a view to proposing a plan of action for the more effective use of the resources of the OAS Fellowship and Training Programs and for increasing their impact on human resource development in the region for the 21st century, taking into account the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development and the Inter-American Cooperation Programs.
7. To request the Permanent Council1/ to present a report on compliance with this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1629 (XXIX-O/99)
COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE Organization
of American States AND THE General Secretariat OF THE
Central American Integration System
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE General Assembly,
HAVING SEEN the report of the General Secretariat on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1537 (XXVIII-O/98), “Cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System,”
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the Secretary General on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1537 (XXVIII-O/98).
2. To renew its request to the Secretary General to continue to intensify efforts to pursue cooperation activities between the OAS and the Central American Integration System (SICA) and make them more effective.
3. To request the Secretary General to continue OAS/SICA consultations for the preparation of a cooperation plan between the two organizations, the objective of which will be to strengthen integration and cooperation in the Central American region through the specialized technical areas of the OAS.
4. To express to the Secretary General its satisfaction with the activities being conducted by the two organizations through the execution of projects by the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, the Trade Unit, the Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment, the Inter-Sectoral Unit for Tourism, and the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy.
5. To request the Secretary General to present a report on compliance with this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1630 (XXIX-O/99)
STUDY ON THE SCALE OF
QUOTA ASSESSMENTS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The report of the Permanent Council on the study on the scale of quota assessments (CP/CAAP-2454/99 rev. 1);
TAKING NOTE of the study entitled “Alternative Proposals for Establishing Member States’ Quotas to the Regular Fund” (CP/doc.3096/98); and
CONSIDERING:
That, by resolutions AG/RES. 1594 (XXIII-O/98) and AG/RES. 2 (XXV-E/98), the General Assembly requested the Permanent Council to review and make recommendations on the current scale of quota assessments to the General Assembly; and
That, because of time constraints, the Permanent Council was unable to complete its mandate under resolutions AG/RES. 1594 (XXIII-O/98) and AG/RES. 2 (XXV-E/98),
RESOLVES:
1. To extend the mandate under resolutions AG/RES. 1594 (XXVIII-O/98) and AG/RES. 2 (XXV-E/98) for the Permanent Council’s review of the current scale of quota assessments and for presentation of the corresponding recommendations to the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly.
2. To request the General Secretariat to continue providing the Permanent Council with the necessary technical support for completing that review.
AG/RES. 1631 (XXIX-O/99)
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
Having
seen the Permanent Council’s report on quota payments (CP/CAAP-2455/99 rev. 1);
CONSIDERING:
That resolutions AG/RES. 1593 (XXVIII-O/98) and AG/RES. 1529 (XXVII-O/97) charged the Permanent Council with the mandate of concluding a study of the merits of establishing a comprehensive system of measures for encouraging member states to pay their regular fund quotas in full and on time and to submit that study, together with specific recommendations, to the General Assembly;
That, at its twenty-fifth special session, it adopted resolution AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98) adopting several new measures to encourage the prompt payment of quotas in full and reiterating that mandate; and
That, due to time constraints, the Permanent Council has been unable to complete that mandate for this twenty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly,
RESOLVES:
1. To extend until the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly the mandate to prepare the study and recommendations requested under resolutions AG/RES. 1529 (XXVII-O/97), AG/RES. 1594 (XXVIII-O/98), and resolution AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98).
2. To instruct the General Secretariat to report to the Permanent Council on progress made in the implementation of the measures adopted through resolution AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98).
AG/RES. 1632 (XXIX-O/99)
STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL SYSTEMS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
IN THE AREA OF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2) and, in particular, on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Children’s Institute (CP/doc.3182/99 add. 1); and
CONSIDERING:
That the region has experienced a significant increase in the number of international adoptions in the past 10 years;
That most states of Latin America and the Caribbean are countries of origin of children adopted by residents of North American or European countries, which, for these purposes, are referred to as receiving countries;
That, in various
international instruments, regulations have been adopted to govern
international adoptions, with particular attention to the necessity of
protecting the rights of children adopted by residents of countries other than
the countries of origin of those children;
That the Inter-American Children's Institute has a history of developing programs for the countries of the region on this subject;
That from March 2 to 5, 1999, in Santiago, Chile, an intergovernmental conference on international adoptions was held, attended by representatives of 18 OAS member states and six permanent observers to the Organization of American States; and
That, at that conference, representatives of the states in attendance adopted the text of the declaration attached hereto, which contains the main principles to be developed by the states in the area of international adoptions, both in the development of internal policies and in the area of international cooperation,
RESOLVES:
1. To
commend the Inter-American Children's Institute on its ongoing efforts to
promote means of international cooperation in guaranteeing the effective
exercise of children's rights in the region.
2. To
take note of the Declaration of Santiago de Chile, adopted at the
Intergovernmental Conference on Intercountry Adoption on March 5, 1999.
3. To
urge the member states to carry out the recommendations contained in the
Declaration of Santiago de Chile, adopted at the Intergovernmental Conference
on Intercountry Adoption.
APPENDIX
Declaration of Santiago de Chile
In Santiago, Chile, on March 5, 1999, the representatives of the countries participating in the Intergovernmental Conference on Intercountry Adoption agree that:
CONSIDERING:
I. That all of the participating
countries have signed or ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an
instrument which prescribes directives and principles for the development and
orientation of public policies relative to intercountry adoption.
II. That on the international level,
numerous agreements have been reached, including the 1984 Inter-American
Conventions on Conflict of Laws concerning the Adoption of Minors;
International Return of Children in 1989; International Trafficking of Children
in 1994, and the Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in
Respect of Intercountry Adoption, signed in the Hague in 1993.
III. That the family is the fundamental unit
of society to offer adequate protection to the child or adolescent and to
provide them with the adequate conditions for their integral development.
IV. That a great number of children and
adolescents of our region have the fullness of their rights affected daily by
poverty, abandonment, mistreatment and the lack of institutional mechanisms to
completely ensure the enjoyment of their Rights.
V. That
the above explains, to a certain degree, that, when speaking of intercountry
adoption, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are normally the
adopted children's States of Origin, and Europe and North America are normally
Receiving States.
VI. That
a process of intercountry adoption commits the responsibility of the
states–Receiving States as much as States of Origin–and consequently obliges
that each process of adoption reinforce and not be detrimental to the best
interests of the child.
VII. That, having signed or ratified the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, our countries have explicitly recognized:
– That the child or adolescent, having his or her condition as a person and his or her specific state of maturity recognized, requires and may demand from his or her family, society and State, special protection and care, including due legal protection.
– That it is the obligation of the State to promote efficient and institutional policies to prevent the abandonment of children and adolescents and to favor their stay in the family environment.
– That it is the obligation of the State to provide special protection to children and adolescents deprived of their family environment and to ensure that they may benefit from a substitute for familial attention, if it be necessary.
– That children and adolescents have the right to preserve their identity, including nationality, name and family relations, in accordance with the law, without illicit interference.
– That when a child or adolescent is illegally deprived of one or all elements of his or her identity, he or she should receive appropriate assistance and protection to rapidly reestablish his or her identity.
– That the best interests of the child must be the primary consideration to keep in mind in all processes of intercountry adoption.
– That the States must safeguard the best interests of the child in intercountry adoption through internal, national or domestic measures, and, at the same time, through the establishment of bilateral or multilateral agreements which guarantee that the transfer of the child or adolescent from his or her country of origin to another, by means of an intercountry adoption, should be done through the competent authorities or organizations and with arrangement of procedures which sufficiently care for the best interests of the child.
– That the States must ensure that the principle of subsidiarity of intercountry adoption remain in effect, with respect to national adoption, thus fulfilling the mandate of promoting all measures directed at keeping children and adolescents in their country of origin, when this corresponds to the best interests of the child, as the form of promotion of their right to an identity and culture of their own.
– That children and adolescents are active subjects and protagonists of their rights, something which must be expressed in the procedures that involve them. In particular, those procedures must permit children and adolescents to express their opinion and their opinion be a relevant precedent, which conforms to the domestic or international rule, when comes the time for the authority in charge to decide.
– That children and adolescents have the right to know their origins and identity, meaning that States must promote that minors given for adoption be given access to information about to their origins, respecting their best interests and their right to the truth about their life history.
WE PROPOSE THAT EACH STATE CONSIDER:
I. Promoting policies of prevention of abandonment, recognizing that the family–as a fundamental group of society and natural medium for the growth and well-being of all its members, particularly children and adolescents–must receive the protection and assistance necessary to fully assume its responsibility within the community.
II. Promoting internal adoption within a population as a form of giving a family to children and adolescents abandoned by their parents, once the possibilities of maintaining them with their biological family have been exhausted.
III. Promoting the social and legal conditions to ratify existing international conventions on the subject, particularly the International Convention Relative to the Protection of Children and to Cooperation on the Subject of Intercountry Adoption, signed in the Hague in 1993.
IV. Constituting a Network of Central Authorities in charge of making a proposal for the design, structure and definition of the common procedures the Central Authorities apply, which will meet periodically to monitor the functioning of international cooperation on the subject.
V. Entrusting the Inter-American Children's Institute, specialized organization of the Organization of American States, with the work of Technical Secretary of this Network in the Americas, providing all of the countries of the region with the support necessary to develop a technical registration system which permits the follow-up, evaluation and control of intercountry adoption and facilitates the fulfillment by the Central Authorities of the functions prescribed to them in the Hague Convention.
VI. Promoting, before the corresponding authorities, the criminal classification of activities that consist of:
a. The undue or deceptive obtaining of a minor through adoption, as well as the transfer of a minor to another country by way of illicit conduct or with illicit purposes;
b. The soliciting or accepting of any kind of remuneration or favors of any nature for the execution of, or cooperation in, any of the activities mentioned in point a); and
c. The obtaining of a minor through adoption for the purpose of commercializing or financially profiting from him or her.
The States should make sure that the aforementioned penal descriptions can be applied to the method of execution which covers the territory of more than one State, thus solving potential problems of extraterritoriality.
VII. Promoting, before the competent organizations of each State, the ratification of those international agreements which have the objective of penalizing the conducts linked to the trafficking of minors, or the cooperation for their persecution and punishment.
VIII. Promoting widespread cooperation between countries aimed at exchanging information on any situation related to the conducts described above, in order to adopt in each of them the measures deemed pertinent, to prevent them as much as to reassure the due respect for the best interests of the child.
IX. Promoting the signing of bilateral accords between the countries that practice intercountry adoption, in order to fulfill that which is prescribed in the Hague Convention and to adopt complementary instruments on the subject of intercountry adoption.
Notwithstanding its conformity with the Declaration in general, the Argentine Delegation states that its country does not foresee adhering to the forms of intercountry adoption which would make Argentina seem to be a country of departure of children and adolescents, due to express constitutional and legal prescriptions currently in effect.
AG/RES. 1633 (XXIX-O/99)
EVALUATION OF THE WORKINGS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
FOR THE PROMOTION AND
PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
WITH A VIEW TO ITS STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on evaluation and improvement of the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights (CP/CAJP-1522/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1546 (XXVIII-O/98);
BEARING IN MIND that Article 3. l of the Charter of the Organization of American States establishes as one of its principles that “the American States proclaim the fundamental rights of the individual, without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex”;
AWARE that international promotion and protection of human rights is intended to enhance and complement the protection afforded under the domestic law of the member states and is based on the dignity of the individual; and
CONSIDERING:
That the Heads of State and Government, in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, affirmed the need to strengthen and improve the inter-American human rights system through concrete initiatives; and
That it is advisable to pursue efforts to strengthen and improve the inter-American human rights system, including the possibility of evaluating the corresponding legal instruments and the working methods and procedures of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights,
RESOLVES:
1. To promote concrete initiatives and measures designed to strengthen the institutional structure of the inter-American human rights system within the framework of the legal instruments governing it and to promote ties with national as well as regional and international entities with similar purposes so as to strengthen and improve that system.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue its comprehensive consideration of the various aspects involved in the evaluation of the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights with a view to strengthening and improving it, formulating such recommendations as the Permanent Council considers appropriate.
3. To instruct the Permanent Council to promote dialogue and cooperation among the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system and, where appropriate, with the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and institutions.
4. To forward this resolution to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
5. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on compliance with this resolution.
AG/RES. 1634 (XXIX-O/99)
PROCEDURES FOR PREPARING AND ADOPTING INTER-AMERICAN LEGAL INSTRUMENTS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on
preparing and adopting legal instruments within the inter-American system
(CP/doc.3193/99 rev. 1), presented in fulfillment of resolution AG/RES. 1560
(XXVIII-O/98), “Procedures for Preparing and Adopting Inter-American Legal
Instruments within the Organization of American States”; and
CONSIDERING:
That the Organization of American States is the
Hemisphere's forum par excellence for
the development and codification of international law;
That the OAS has a long history of preparing basic
inter-American legal instruments;
That full participation by a greater
number of the member states will strengthen and build on that process;
That
the procedural guidelines for preparing inter-American legal instruments should
encourage full participation and ensure that the member states will be kept
duly informed in a timely fashion throughout the process and be able to air
their views;
That
the guidelines should also ensure that the instruments ultimately adopted will
be of the highest legal caliber;
That, at the time of preparing relevant inter-American
legal instruments, it is advisable to recall that the “Declaration on Equal
Rights and Opportunity for Women and Men and Gender Equity in Inter-American
Legal Instruments” [AG/DEC. 18 (XXVIII-O/98)] recommends to the member states
that "any relevant inter-American instruments adopted in the future on the
rights of individuals expressly ensure the equality of women and men before the
law, equal opportunity for men and women, and gender equity”; and
That it is advisable to establish a single procedure
that is still flexible enough to be adapted for use in preparing various types
of legal instruments,
RESOLVES:
To adopt the following
recommended guidelines for preparing and adopting inter-American legal
instruments within the Organization:
RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING AND ADOPTING
INTER-AMERICAN LEGAL INSTRUMENTS
Scope
1.
The sole purpose of the following
recommendations is to guide and facilitate the preparation of inter-American
legal instruments where a procedure has not already been expressly provided for
or the states have not agreed on the corresponding procedure for a specific
case.
2.
The implementation of one or more of these
recommendations shall not prejudice the application of or the need to apply the
other provisions of this resolution, as agreed by the states.
Proposal
3. At any time within the appropriate forum, all member states
shall have the authority to propose any topic for consideration as the subject
matter of an inter-American legal instrument.
For the purposes of this resolution, “inter-American legal instrument”
means any treaty, convention, or any other agreement having legal effect
adopted by the member states within the framework of the Organization.
4. The
delegations may apply these procedures in the consideration and adoption of
documents other than treaties, conventions, or agreements, as they deem
pertinent.
5. If the
proposal is not rejected by the forum in which it is introduced, a preliminary
study shall be requested.
Preliminary Study
6. The
preliminary study shall be prepared by the General Secretariat within a
reasonable time. The Secretariat may
request the advice of the organs, agencies, and entities it considers
pertinent.
7. The
preliminary study shall contain the following:
a. Specification
of existing legal instruments in force on the proposed topic;
b.
Specification of current projects to prepare international legal
instruments on the proposed topic; and
c. A
recommendation as to the need for preparing an inter-American legal instrument
on the topic and, if appropriate:
i. A
recommendation as to the method to be used to prepare the legal instrument; and
ii.
A recommendation as to the type of legal instrument to be adopted.
8. The Permanent Council shall be notified when a preliminary
study has been initiated.
9. When the preliminary study has been completed, the General
Secretariat shall forward it to the forum that requested it.
10. If the
aforementioned forum concludes that it is advisable to prepare an
inter-American legal instrument, the matter shall be submitted to the Permanent
Council for consideration.
11. If the Permanent Council approves of this conclusion, it
shall specify the procedure for preparing the instrument.
Preparatory Work and Initial Drafts
12. Throughout the entire preparatory process and negotiating phase of an inter-American legal instrument, the Secretariat for Legal Affairs of the General Secretariat shall provide advisory services and legal support, and shall transmit information to the states. Timely notification shall be made to the missions of the member states or their designees regarding meetings and developments in connection with the preparation of legal instruments.
13. As soon as the preparatory process has been determined,
member states shall be notified thereof and of the opportunity for
consultations. Member states may also
participate by completing questionnaires, presenting their views through their
delegations, and providing written comments on the drafts.
14. The
Permanent Council shall instruct a working group of that organ to carry out the
preparatory work and draw up the initial drafts.
15. To carry out the task, the working group may establish the standards, guidelines, and objectives to govern the preparation of the draft. It may entrust the drawing up of the initial draft, among other things, to the Inter-American Juridical Committee, the proposing organ, or to any other body considered appropriate.
16. The
preparatory work may include the following:
a. An
analysis of the preliminary study;
b. Consideration of comments by the member
states; and
c. Consideration
of comments made by the institutions from which they have been requested.
17. Prior
to negotiations and adoption of the final draft, member states shall be given
sufficient time and the opportunity to analyze the initial draft.
18. The
final draft legal instrument shall be prepared in all official languages of the
OAS. All versions shall be reviewed by
a drafting committee for accuracy before presentation to the member states.
19. The final draft legal instrument shall
be distributed to the member states well in advance of the date scheduled for
its consideration by the Permanent Council.
20. Once the above process has concluded, the final draft instrument shall be transmitted to the Permanent Council so that it may determine procedures for possible adoption.
AG/RES. 1635 (XXIX-O/99)
AMERICAN DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MAN
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (CP/CAJP-1523/99 corr. 1), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1591 (XXVIII-O/98);
Bearing in mind that, in 1948, the Ninth International Conference of American States adopted the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, which is based on human dignity, essential human rights, duties, and the need to create increasingly favorable conditions for the full observance of those values;
Taking into account that the aforementioned Conference also determined that the promotion and protection of the human rights enshrined in the American Declaration should be strengthened on an ongoing basis;
RECALLING that Article II of the Declaration provides that “all persons are equal before the law and have the rights and duties established in this Declaration, without distinction as to race, sex, language, creed or any other factor”; and
Taking into account that the General Assembly, in resolution AG/RES. 1591 (XXVIII-O/98), instructed the Permanent Council to study and propose, if appropriate, changing the title “American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man” to “American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Persons,” or any other agreed term, and replacing the word “man” in the text with “person,” or any other agreed term, where appropriate,
RESOLVES:
1. To extend the mandate given to the Permanent Council in resolution AG/RES. 1591 (XXVIII-O/98), “American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.”
2. To request the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this mandate to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1636 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM OF CULTURE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on
the Inter-American Program of Culture (CP/CAJP-1524 /99 corr. 1), presented
pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1578 (XXVIII-O/98);
REAFFIRMING that the OAS has agreed to intensify
its efforts to promote dialogue and cooperative action on priority issues of
common interest in favor of integral and sustainable development, and that
culture is a fundamental and integral component of the development of the
Americas;
CONSIDERING that illicit trafficking in cultural
goods in the region endangers the preservation of the cultural heritage of the
Americas; and
RECALLING that, in the above-mentioned resolution,
AG/RES. 1578 (XXVIII-O/98), the Permanent Council was instructed to “establish
a working group to prepare an inter-American convention to combat illicit
trafficking in cultural goods, on the basis of existing legal instruments and
experience, and to report on the progress of its work to the General Assembly
at its next regular session,”
RESOLVES:
1. To extend the mandate issued to the Permanent Council in operative paragraph 2 of resolution AG/RES. 1578 (XXVIII-O/98), “Inter-American Program of Culture.”
2. To request the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this mandate to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1637 (XXIX-O/97)
PERMANENT SPECIFIC FUND TO FINANCE ACTIVITIES
RELATED TO OAS ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN resolutions AG/RES. 991 (XIX-O/89) and CP/RES. 572 (882/91), which provide that resources to finance electoral observation missions are to come from external sources;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that resolution CP/RES. 572 (882/91) of the Permanent Council establishes that the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy aims to respond promptly and efficiently to requests from member states;
RECALLING that resolutions AG/RES. 1401 (XXVI-O/96) and AG/RES. 1475 (XXVII-O/97), whose relevant sections refer to consideration of the possibility of establishing a permanent voluntary fund to finance activities by electoral observation missions of the Organization;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that resolution AG/RES. 1551 (XXVIII-O/98) resolves, in operative paragraph 4, “To take note of the discussion of the Working Group on Representative Democracy on the proposal to establish, within the General Secretariat, a permanent voluntary fund to finance electoral observer missions that the member states may request; and to instruct the General Secretariat to reformulate the study of that fund and submit it for consideration by the Permanent Council, through that Group” [the Working Group on Representative Democracy];
HAVING CONSIDERED the document “Proposal for a Permanent Specific Fund to Finance OAS Electoral Observation Missions”(CP/CAJP-1475/99), prepared by the General Secretariat through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy; and
HAVING EXAMINED the document “Draft Guidelines for the Establishment of a Permanent Specific Fund to Finance OAS Electoral Observation Missions” (CP/CAJP-1495/99), which resulted from the deliberations in the Working Group on Representative Democracy and consideration of the topic by the Permanent Council;
AWARE that the number of electoral observation missions requested by member states has increased markedly in recent years;
CONCERNED that the absence of immediately available funds may affect the timely fulfillment of the objectives assigned to electoral observation missions;
CONSIDERING that there was agreement, during the
discussion that took place in the Working Group on Representative Democracy, on
the advisability of establishing a permanent voluntary fund to contribute to
financing electoral observation missions that would enable such missions to
perform their tasks efficiently and effectively; and
EMPHASIZING that such a permanent
voluntary fund should be established in accordance with express guidelines that
define its objectives and regulate the activities to be financed, the ways in
which the fund will be financed, management of the fund, and submission of
reports on the use of fund resources,
RESOLVES:
1. To
establish a permanent specific fund to finance the activities related to
electoral observation missions referred to in the guidelines attached to this
resolution.
2. To
approve those guidelines which shall govern utilization of the permanent
specific fund.
3. To
establish that administrative costs associated with management of the fund
shall be within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
APPENDIX
GUIDELINES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT SPECIFIC FUND TO
FINANCE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO OAS ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSIONS
1. To contribute to funding the activities of electoral observation missions (MOEs), so that the OAS is able to respond in a timely manner to requests from interested states, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 991 (XIX-O/89).
2. To supplement the current funding system for MOEs, which is based on individual voluntary contributions made by member states or other sources. The Unit for the Promotion of Democracy shall continue to solicit such contributions to finance each mission for which it receives a request.
3. To promote enlargement of the base of donors and diversification of the sources of funding.
1. The Fund shall essentially be used to prepare pre-electoral exploratory missions in order to:
a. Provide a prompt, timely response to states that have requested that an electoral observation mission be sent;
b. Determine the requirements of the electoral observation mission; and
c. Meet the immediate requirements that might arise in connection with a request.
2. Taking account of the resources available in the Fund and its capacity to finance the primary activity described above, the Fund could be used:
a.
In the course of a MOE, for unforeseen expenses that arise during the
electoral process and are considered essential to the achievement of mission
objectives.
b. To finance, on an exceptional basis, electoral observation missions of particular interest to the requesting state, but for which there were insufficient voluntary contributions.
1.
Contributions to the fund shall be voluntary and
their amounts shall be determined by each donor.
2.
The Fund shall be administered by the
UPD, the General Secretariat unit responsible for organizing and conducting
electoral observation missions. The
Fund shall be managed in accordance with the General Standards to Govern the
Operations of the General Secretariat and other provisions and regulations of
the Organization.
3.
The UPD shall be responsible for
soliciting contributions to the Fund from member states, permanent observers,
international organizations, and other possible contributors. The UPD shall seek to raise sufficient funds
to ensure that established objectives are met.
1.
The General Secretariat shall include in
its quarterly reports to the Permanent Council on the activities of the UPD a
section in the financial report on activities financed by the Fund.
2.
In the final report on each MOE, the
General Secretariat shall include information on the activities financed by
Fund resources and on those financed by specific contributions from individual
countries and/or organizations.
AG/RES. 1638 (XXIX-O/99)
THE PANAMA CANAL
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
REAFFIRMING the Declaration of Washington signed
by the heads of state, heads of government, and representatives of the American
republics on September 7, 1977, which recognizes “the importance hemisphere and
world commerce and navigation of arrangements for ensuring the continuing
accessibility and neutrality of the Panama Canal” set forth in the treaties
concluded on that date by the governments of the Republic of Panama and the
United States of America, known as the Torrijos-Carter treaties;
UNDERLINING the extraordinary importance of the
historic event whereby, at noon on December 31, 1999, on the threshold of the
21st century, the Canal with all its improvements will come under the sovereign
control of the Republic of Panama;
UNDERLINING ALSO that the Republic of Panama is
fully prepared to fulfill such an important mission, as it exercises complete
sovereignty over its territory and takes on all the tasks associated with
managing the Canal in the interests of all free peoples on earth;
NOTING WITH APPROVAL the efforts undertaken by
the Government of Panama and the Government of the United States during this
process;
EMPHASIZING the need to establish favorable
conditions for regional cooperation based on a consensus about the importance
that the inter-oceanic canal, oceans, seas, and coastal areas, as well as the
utilization of marine resources, have for human communities and for their
management and rational use;
REITERATING that maintenance of the neutrality of
the Panama Canal is important for trade and the security of the Republic of
Panama, for the peace and security of the Western Hemisphere, and for the
interests of world trade;
RECALLING resolutions AG/RES. 324 (VIII-O/78),
"Deposit with the General Secretariat of the OAS of the Treaty concerning
the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal," and AG/RES.
427 (IX-O/79), "Call for Accession to the Protocol to the Treaty
concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal";
and resolution AG/RES. 1376 (XXVI-O/96) “The Panama Canal in the 21st Century”;
RECOGNIZING the decisive role of the inter-oceanic waterway in an open, multilateral system, which requires that the Canal be modernized in the 21st century and that its operations be adapted to the new environment created by globalization of the economy and the opening of markets, with the attendant increase in international trade; and
WELCOMING the harmonious transition process in which the two governments have engaged through their diplomatic representatives, the Panama Canal Commission, the Inter-oceanic Region Authority, and the Panama Canal Authority,
RESOLVES:
1. To pay tribute to the governments of
Panama and the United States for their efforts to promptly implement the
provisions of the Panama Canal Treaty and the Treaty concerning the Permanent
Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal of 1977.
2. To reaffirm the importance of continuing accessibility to the Panama Canal for world trade and navigation and sustainable management of the ecosystem of its catchment basin.
3. To
call on all nations of the region and the world that have not yet done so to
accede to the protocol to the treaty declaring the permanent neutrality of the
Panama Canal, so that at all times it will always remain secure and open to peaceful
transit by ships of all nations on terms of complete equality.
4. To
support the efforts of the Panamanian Government, the Panama Canal Commission,
and the Panama Canal Authority to continue the modernization of the Panama
Canal so that the inter-oceanic waterway will efficiently serve the increasing
needs of sea transport and world commerce and all other exchanges beneficial to
humanity.
5. To convene a protocolary meeting of the Permanent Council to commemorate the signing of the Panama Canal treaties.
AG/RES. 1639 (XXIX-O/99)
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the General Secretariat on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1536 (XXVIII-O/98), “Cooperation between the Organization of American States and the United Nations System,”
RESOLVES:
1. To express to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States its satisfaction with the activities carried out jointly by the two organizations under the OAS/UN Cooperation Agreement.
2. To reiterate its recognition to the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States for the positive results achieved through coordinating technical cooperation activities.
3. To express its satisfaction with the exchanges between the two organizations on subjects such as the strengthening and modernization of the OAS and hemispheric security, and with the joint activities of the Secretary General and the United Nations in the areas of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission of Women, the Trade Unit, the Unit for Social Development and Education, the Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment, the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, the Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Inter-American Children's Institute.
4. To request that the Secretary General submit a report on the implementation of this resolution at the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly.
AG/RES. 1640 (XXIX-O/99)
SPECIAL SECURITY CONCERNS OF SMALL ISLAND STATES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING
SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and in
particular the chapter on hemispheric security, which includes the topic
“Special Security Concerns of Small Island States”;
RECALLING:
Its
resolutions AG/RES. 1497 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1567 (XXVIII-O/98), “Special
Security Concerns of Small Island States” and AG/RES. 1410 (XXVI-O/96),
“Promotion of Security in the Small Island States”; and
Its
instruction, in resolutions AG/RES. 1567 (XXVIII-O/98) mentioned above and
AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), “Confidence- and Security-Building in the
Americas,” to the Permanent Council to consider convening another high-level
meeting on the special security concerns of small island states;
TAKING
INTO ACCOUNT its resolution AG/RES. 1674 (XXIX-O/99), “Climate Change in the
Americas”;
CONSIDERING:
That
the member states, pursuant to Article 1 of the Charter of the Organization of
American States (OAS), have pledged
“to achieve an order of peace and
justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to
defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence”; and
that Article 2.a of the Charter establishes that one of the essential purposes of
the Organization is “to strengthen the peace and security of the
continent”; and
That
Article 3.b of the Charter establishes that “international order
consists essentially of respect for the personality, sovereignty, and
independence of States, and the faithful fulfillment of obligations derived
from treaties and other sources of international law”;
REAFFIRMING
that the small island states have concluded that their security is
multidimensional in scope and application and encompasses, inter alia, the military-political aspects traditionally associated
with the security of states; the protection and preservation of the states’
sovereignty and territorial integrity; freedom from external military attack
and coercion; freedom from external interference by states or by non-state
agents in their internal political affairs; protection from ecological
disasters and environmental conditions, which could imperil their viability;
the link between trade, economic development, and security; and the ability to
maintain and protect democratic institutions, which ensure domestic
tranquility;
RECOGNIZING:
That
small island states are particularly vulnerable to the potential effects of
global climate change, such as sea-level rise, and that hurricanes and tropical
storms have resulted in serious loss of resources and infrastructure and have
severely affected the economic and social development of these countries;
That
by virtue of their size, small island states are characterized by their smaller
economies;
That the security of small island states can be strengthened by collaboration among small island states and between these states and other states in the Hemisphere;
That the security of small island states can be enhanced by the application of those confidence- and security-building measures identified in the Declarations of Santiago and San Salvador on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures; and
That the High-Level Meeting on the Special Security Concerns of Small Island States, held in San Salvador in 1998, concluded that the security of small island states can be enhanced by declaring the Caribbean a zone of peace;
RECALLING
that at the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development, held in Bolivia
in 1996, Heads of State and Government undertook “to promote the agreements
reached at the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States held in Barbados in 1994”;
NOTING:
That member states of the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM) have proposed that the Caribbean Sea be internationally
recognized as a special area in the context of sustainable development; and
That at their Third Western
Hemispheric Meeting, ministers responsible for transportation agreed to
actively and collectively encourage international maritime and air carriers to
fully comply with international standards for the carriage of nuclear waste and
other hazardous cargo and agreed to continue regional discussions on progress
achieved; and
ACKNOWLEDGING
the important work undertaken by the OAS General Secretariat and other organs,
agencies, and entities of the inter-American system in order to assist the
small island states in addressing their special security concerns,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the Annual Report of the Permanent Council insofar as it relates to the special security concerns of small island states.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to study, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security and in collaboration with the General Secretariat, ways to generate greater awareness and understanding of the special security concerns of the small island states and to identify and promote the application of new measures of cooperation to address these concerns.
3. To encourage member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) to exchange and share information which could strengthen the security and defense capabilities of small island states.
4. To urge member states to support efforts by small island states to deal with their special security concerns, particularly those of an economic and financial nature, taking into consideration their vulnerability and level of development.
5. To request that the General Secretariat and the appropriate organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system develop and strengthen programs of cooperation in small island states to prevent and mitigate the effects of natural disasters, based on the request and authorization of the states involved.
6. To urge member states to actively implement the cooperation program in the Plan of Action of the Third Western Hemispheric Ministerial Meeting on Transportation on maritime and air carriage of nuclear and other hazardous wastes.
7. To recommend that member states adopt policies to preserve the natural environment of the Caribbean, including policies on the movement of hazardous waste pursuant to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.
8. To urge member states to cooperate with the small island states in the eradication of transnational criminal activity that threatens the stability and security of the said small island states; and to instruct the Permanent Council and its appropriate committees and working groups, in collaboration with the General Secretariat, to identify ways in which to combat such criminal activity and to support the small island states in their efforts to eradicate the said activity.
9. To recognize the
importance of participation by the OAS in the Special Session of the United
Nations General Assembly for the review and appraisal of the Barbados Programme
of Action and to encourage consideration of issues of specific concern to small
island states at relevant sectoral meetings, including the Inter-American
Committee on Sustainable Development.
10. To take note with
satisfaction of the ongoing technical support provided by the General
Secretariat to small island states as smaller economies in the negotiations for
the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
11. To request the Permanent Council to
study the proposal that security for small island states can be enhanced by
declaring the Caribbean a Zone of Peace, and to report on its findings to the
General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
12. To reiterate its request to the
Permanent Council that it continue its consideration of the special security
concerns of small island states with a view to convening, when appropriate,
another high-level meeting on this issue and to carrying out the requisite
preparatory work for that meeting.
13. To instruct the General Secretariat to
continue to implement appropriate action to address the special security
concerns of small island states, including those identified at the High-Level
Meeting on the Special Security Concerns of Small Island States, held in San Salvador
in February 1998, and at the special meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric
Security held in October 1996.
` 14. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
15. To instruct the General Secretariat to
report to the Permanent Council, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security
and prior to the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly, on its
compliance with the provisions of this resolution.
16. To instruct the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
17. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
AG/RES. 1641 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR THE MINE-CLEARING PROGRAM IN CENTRAL AMERICA
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99), and in particular its references to the Report of the Secretary General on Activities of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) for the Third Quarter of 1998 (CP/doc.3145/99) and the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America (PADCA);
BEARING IN MIND its resolutions AG/RES. 1122 (XXI-O/91), AG/RES. 1191 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1343 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1413 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1498 (XVII-O/97), and underscoring its resolution AG/RES. 1568 (XXVIII-O/98), “Support for the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America,” as well as its resolution AG/RES. 1240 (XXIII-O/93), “Inter-American Defense Board”;
BEARING
IN MIND also the document “The Organization of American States’ Mine-Clearing
Assistance Program in Central America: Responsibilities of Participants” (GT/PDCA-7/97
rev. 1);
REAFFIRMING its profound concern over the presence in Central America of thousands of antipersonnel mines and other undetonated explosive devices that continue to constitute a threat to the population and have deadly effects, primarily on innocent civilians, causing tragedy to individuals and families, standing in the way of socioeconomic development in vast, rich, rural areas, and affecting border integration in those areas;
EXPRESSING in particular its alarm over the high number of victims, primarily children, of mines and other undetonated explosive devices; and
CONSIDERING:
That the passage of Hurricane Mitch has caused a setback to demining operations, particularly in Honduras and Nicaragua, due to the displacement of mines from their original location;
That the effects of Hurricane Mitch and the magnitude of the task yet to be completed in Nicaragua (73,000 mines) make it essential to assess the feasibility of the goal of completing the mine-clearing operation by the year 2000;
The appeal
for additional support in the form of resources and supervisors made by the
Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) to member
states, donors, and cooperation agencies with a view to redoubling efforts to
complete the demining program in Honduras and Nicaragua as soon as possible;
The deteriorated state of the air and ground transport equipment used in the work of removing mines and evacuating potential victims, which has already caused regrettable tragedies and affects the continuation of the demining programs;
The efforts being made by the Governments of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to complete antipersonnel mine-clearing activities;
The valuable contribution made to PADCA by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela, as member states, and by France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as permanent observers, as well as by Denmark and Norway;
The important coordination and fundraising work of the OAS General Secretariat, through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, for PADCA and for programs aimed at the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas;
The valuable support of the Committee on Hemispheric Security and the important technical assistance provided by the Inter-American Defense Board to PADCA;
The efforts of Central American countries to ensure that international instruments on antipersonnel mines include consideration of the humanitarian aspects of mine-clearing and the provision of assistance to victims;
The entry into force on March 1, 1999, of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention), and its ratification by the countries of Central America;
The beginning of mine-clearing operations and the removal of explosive devices in Guatemala;
The implementation of the Dog-Team Program in support of PADCA in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras;
The creation within the UPD of a program area for “Integral Action against Antipersonnel Mines” (AICMA), which will serve as the focal point within the General Secretariat in efforts to combat antipersonnel mines;
The activities of the joint Mexico-Canada-Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) cooperation program to provide care to antipersonnel land mine victims in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua;
The valuable contributions of the Regional Seminar on Antipersonnel Land Mines, “Reaffirming Our Commitment,” sponsored by Mexico and Canada with the support of the OAS and PAHO, held in Mexico City on January 11 and 12, 1999, where the significant contribution of the OAS to mine-clearing in Central America was highlighted;
The holding of the “Meeting on Progress in Mine-Clearing in Central America,” in Managua, Nicaragua, on April 12 and 13, 1999; and the Joint Declaration of Central American Ministers of Foreign Affairs, reaffirming the commitment of their governments to mine-clearing efforts and the destruction of explosive devices, as well as the firm commitment to completing, as soon as possible, national mine-destruction programs; and
The holding of the first meeting of states parties to the Ottawa Convention, in Maputo, Mozambique, May 3 to 7, 1999,
RESOLVES:
1. To note with satisfaction the annual report of the Permanent Council, with respect to the activities of the General Secretariat under the Mine-Clearing Program for Central America (PADCA).
2. To reiterate its gratitude to member states, to permanent observer states, and to the international community in general for their contributions to PADCA and to the programs aimed at preventive education of the civilian population regarding the danger of antipersonnel mines, the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims, and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas, and to urge that they continue such support.
3. To call upon member states, donors, and cooperation agencies to respond favorably to the appeal for additional support made by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) in order to redouble efforts, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch, to complete the demining program in Honduras and Nicaragua as soon as possible.
4. To urge the General Secretariat to seek external resources for the purchase of adequate equipment and, as needed, the inspection and repair of existent equipment, to ensure the safety of persons involved in mine-clearing work and the prompt evacuation of victims in cases of emergency.
5. To welcome the entry into force, on March 1, 1999, of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention), calling upon states parties that are in a position to do so to provide assistance for the removal of mines, for the rehabilitation and the social and economic reintegration of victims, and for information programs about the risk of land mines in Central America.
6. To note with satisfaction the ratification of the Ottawa Convention by the countries of Central America.
7. To call attention to the holding of the Regional Seminar on Antipersonnel Land Mines: Reaffirming our Commitment; the Meeting on Progress in Mine-Clearing in Central America; and the First Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, for their contribution to the dissemination of information on the deadly effects of antipersonnel land mines and the efforts that are being made to eliminate these weapons and secure international support for demining programs and for the rehabilitation of victims of mines.
8. To stress the importance of the Updated National Plan for Mine Clearance submitted by the Government of Nicaragua, as well as the OAS International Plan of Support for Nicaragua.
9. To urge the General Secretariat to continue to provide, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, the necessary support for the Central American countries to continue mine-clearing programs and programs aimed at preventive education, rehabilitation of victims, and reclamation of demined areas.
10. To request the Inter-American Council for Integral Development to develop as part of its cooperation program, and in keeping with the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, programs of socioeconomic and educational support to communities in Central America where antipersonnel mine-clearing has been completed.
11. To request the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to cooperate with the demining programs and those aimed at preventive education for the civilian population regarding the danger of antipersonnel mines, the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims, and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas in Central America.
12. To request the Inter-American Defense Board to continue to provide technical assistance to the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America.
13. To encourage the continued efforts of the Joint Mexico-Canada-Pan American Health Organization Program to provide care for victims of antipersonnel mines in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, including the involvement of affected persons in decisions related to their care and treatment.
14. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the United Nations Secretary General and to other international organizations that he deems appropriate.
15. To request the General Secretariat to present a report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1642 (XXIX-O/99)
PROLIFERATION OF AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING IN
SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and, in particular, the chapter on the Report of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-214/99), as it relates to the proliferation of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons;
WELCOMING the decision of the United Nations General Assembly, expressed through the adoption of resolution 53/77E entitled "Small Arms", to convene an international conference on the illicit arms trade in all its aspects, no later than 2001;
RECALLING the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and other Related Materials;
EMPHASIZING the importance of the member states signing or ratifying this Convention as soon as possible;
RECALLING also its resolution “Confidence- and Security-Building in the Americas” [AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98)], which instructed the Permanent Council to endeavor, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, to advance the development of the most appropriate approach, at the hemispheric level, to strengthening dialogue aimed at addressing questions related to small arms and trafficking therein;
ACKNOWLEDGING that dealing with the problem of small arms and light weapons calls for integrated action that addresses matters of security; the collection of weapons from demobilized combatants, the destruction of those weapons, and the reintegration of such persons into civilian life; humanitarian issues; cultural and economic circumstances specific to each case; and the legal aspects of arms control;
ACKNOWLEDGING also, the need for a coordinated and comprehensive approach at the global, regional and national levels to combat the destabilizing accumulation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons in order to contribute to regional and international peace and security;
AWARE of the urgent need to continue hemispheric cooperation in order to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials, due to the harmful effects of these activities on the security of each State and the region as a whole, endangering the well-being of peoples, their social and economic development, and their right to live in peace;
CONVINCED of the need to continue and to intensify multilateral cooperation as an important contribution to addressing the problems associated with the proliferation of and the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons;
RECOGNIZING the valuable work of the United Nations and the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Small Arms to advance solutions to the small arms and light weapons challenge to regional and international security;
REAFFIRMING member states’ commitment to respect the United Nations Security Council arms embargoes through the adoption, as may be necessary, of appropriate national norms;
TAKING NOTE with interest of the work in progress for the elaboration of an international convention against transnational organized crime, including a protocol to combat illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, in the framework of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice of the Economic and Social Council, and also of other related efforts by that Commission and the Centre for International Crime Prevention in Vienna;
RECALLING with satisfaction the unprecedented West African moratorium on the import, export, and manufacturing of small arms declared by members of the Economic Community of West African States on October 31, 1998;
NOTING the Oslo document entitled “An International Agenda on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Elements of a Common Understanding”; and
ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission’s (CICAD) Model Regulations for the Control of the International Movement of Firearms, their Parts and Components, and Ammunition adopted at its twenty-eighth regular session [AG/RES. 1543 (XXVIII-O/98)], and expressing its satisfaction with the work on those Model Regulations and CICAD’s related training programs,
RESOLVES:
1. To encourage member states to apply, where appropriate, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission’s (CICAD) Model Regulations in the development of national legislation and regulations.
2. To encourage member states to adopt such measures concerning arms brokering and transit as may be necessary to combat the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons.
3. To request that CICAD continue its training programs in order to contribute to the capabilities of member states to address the proliferation of and illicit trafficking in firearms.
4. To instruct the Permanent Council, that through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, it:
a. Hold a meeting to continue advancing the development of the most appropriate approach at the hemispheric level to strengthen dialogue aimed at addressing questions related to small arms and light weapons and the illicit trafficking therein; and
b. Invite to that meeting
the Chairman of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Small Arms,
the available experts from the member states that participated in that Group,
the Chairman of the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a
Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, and the Director of the
United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin
America and the Caribbean, so that they may provide information on the results
of their work.
5. To express its support for the conclusion, by the year 2000, of negotiations in Vienna of an international convention against transnational organized crime, and in particular, of a protocol thereto to combat the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, a process inspired by the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials.
6. To request that CICAD continue to provide assistance to member states on those matters within its purview, in order to facilitate compliance with the said Inter-American Convention and the application of the said Model Regulations, as appropriate.
7. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution within funds allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
8. To request that the Secretary General transmit this resolution to the United Nations Secretary-General.
9. To request that the Permanent Council report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1643 (XXIX-O/99)
WORK PROGRAM OF THE COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY
IN PREPARATION FOR THE SPECIAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
the General Assembly,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and, in particular, the chapter on the Report of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-214/99), which includes the topic "Work Program of the Committee on Hemispheric Security in Preparation for the Special Conference on Security";
BEARING IN MIND that, under Article 2 of the Charter of the Organization of American States, one of the essential aims of the Organization is to strengthen the peace and security of the continent;
RECALLING its resolutions on strengthening peace and security in the Hemisphere [AG/RES. 1121 (XXI-O/91) and AG/RES. 1123 (XXI-O/91)] and on confidence- and security-building measures [AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1237 (XXIII-O/93), AG/RES. 1284 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1353 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1409 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1494 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98)];
RECALLING AS WELL that the Heads of State and Government, meeting at the Second Summit of the Americas, instructed the Committee on Hemispheric Security to "analyze the meaning, scope, and implications of international security concepts in the Hemisphere, with a view to developing the most appropriate common approaches by which to manage their various aspects, including disarmament and arms control" and to "pinpoint ways to revitalize and strengthen the institutions of the Inter-American System related to the various aspects of Hemispheric Security," with a view to holding a Special Conference on Security in the OAS framework, once these tasks had been completed and no later than the beginning of the following decade;
RECALLING ALSO the contribution made by the Forum on the Future of International Security in the Hemisphere, a meeting organized by the Government of Chile with support from the Government of the United States and the General Secretariat and held at OAS headquarters on April 19 and 20, 1999, at which scholars and experts from the member states exchanged views on security matters in the Hemisphere; and
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the special meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security held on April 20 and 21, 1999 with experts from member states, to examine the meaning, scope, and implications of international security concepts in the Hemisphere and pinpoint ways to revitalize and strengthen the institutions of the inter-American system related to the various aspects of hemispheric security; as well as the written contributions to this process submitted by member states, such as Bolivia (CP/CSH-163/99) and Canada (CP/CSH-216/99),
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the General Secretariat to conduct a study or update existing studies, as appropriate, on the status of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) and on the Inter-American Defense Board, to compile the legal instruments pertaining to the inter-American system related to different aspects of hemispheric security, and to present those studies to the Permanent Council by November 15, 1999.
2. To instruct the General Secretariat to prepare an updated record of the participation of the member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) in multilateral disarmament and arms control treaties, requesting cooperation from the United Nations to that end.
3. To urge the member states to continue to provide their opinions and views to the Committee on Hemispheric Security on the fulfillment of the mandates of the Second Summit of the Americas, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), and especially on the matters mentioned in the first operative paragraph above.
4. To urge the member states to promote the holding of academic forums, with the participation of experts and other nongovernmental forums, to further the analysis and discussion of all aspects of international security in the Hemisphere.
5. To request the member states to provide the Permanent Council with any information they deem relevant on the application of security-related subregional and bilateral agreements to which they are parties, thereby contributing to the process of studying hemispheric security, including its subregional aspects.
6. To request that the Permanent Council study, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, the problems and risks to peace and security in the Hemisphere, as well as to conflict prevention and resolution.
7. To instruct the Permanent Council to hold, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, one or two special meetings, with experts from the member states, to continue to develop the most appropriate common approaches to the various aspects of international security in the Hemisphere, taking into account the background information contained in the studies and communications referred to above in operative paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, as appropriate, and thereby, once those tasks are completed, further the preparations for the Special Conference on Security.
8. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities referred to in this resolution in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
9. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1644 (XXIX-O/99)
THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE AS AN
ANTIPERSONNEL-LAND-MINE-FREE ZONE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and, in particular, the section dealing with the Report of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-214/99), which includes the topic “The Western Hemisphere as an Antipersonnel-Land-Mine-Free Zone”;
RECALLING:
Its resolutions "The Western Hemisphere as an Antipersonnel-Land-Mine-Free Zone" [AG/RES. 1411 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1496 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1569 (XXVIII-O/98)], which reaffirmed the goals of the global elimination of antipersonnel land mines and the conversion of the Western Hemisphere into an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone; and
Its resolutions AG/RES. 1299 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1335 (XXV-O/95), and AG/RES. 1343 (XXV-O/95), also on antipersonnel land mines;
WELCOMING the unwavering support of the international community and, in particular, the active participation of member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the campaign to rid the world of antipersonnel land mines;
REAFFIRMING that the right of belligerents to adopt means of injuring the enemy is not unlimited;
BEARING IN MIND the agreement made by the Heads of State and Government at the Second Summit of the Americas, set out in the Plan of Action as follows: “to encourage actions and support international humanitarian demining efforts in this area, with the goal of ensuring that priority is given to mines that threaten civilians and of ensuring that land can be restored for productive purposes. The latter will take place through effective regional and international cooperation and coordination, as requested by the affected States, to survey, mark, map, and remove mines; effective mine awareness for the civilian population and assistance to victims; and development and deployment of new mine detection and clearance technologies as appropriate”;
OBSERVING:
That the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (the Ottawa Convention), which came into effect on March 1, 1999, furthers the aim of making the Western Hemisphere an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone;
That, upon its entry into force, of the 135 states that had signed the Ottawa Convention, 33 are member states of the Organization; and
That, at present, 81 countries have ratified or acceded to the Convention, and 24 of them are member states of the Organization;
RECOGNIZING:
The importance of reaffirming the commitment of the OAS member states to the full and effective universalization and implementation of the goals of the Ottawa Convention, including advancing the implementation of the program for mine action related to that Convention, in order to rid the world of the indiscriminate and harmful effects of antipersonnel mines; and
The contribution to global and hemispheric security of various bans, moratoria, and other restrictions on antipersonnel land mines, including the unilateral destruction of stockpiles, already adopted by some member states;
RECALLING:
That in the Ottawa Convention “each State Party undertakes never under any circumstances: a) to use anti-personnel mines; b) to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, antipersonnel mines; c) to assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under the Convention”; and undertakes “to destroy or ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel mines in accordance with the provisions of this Convention”;
That the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, emphasized the importance of making progress on the antipersonnel-land-mines issue; and that the San Salvador Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in follow-up to the Santiago Conference, held in San Salvador in February 1998, made a similar appeal; and
The contribution made in this field by the Regional Seminar on Antipersonnel Landmines: "Reaffirming our Commitment," held in Mexico City in January 1999;
RECOGNIZING
the importance of OAS activities in support of mine-clearing, as well as the
cooperation efforts of a humanitarian nature to provide assistance to victims
of these weapons, so that affected states may be freed from this scourge on an
urgent basis, which will contribute to making the Western Hemisphere an
antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone;
EMPHASIZING the Political Declaration of Mercosur, Bolivia, and Chile as a Zone of Peace, issued in Ushuaia, Argentina, on July 24, 1998, which sets forth the decision to work toward establishing that subregion as an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone and extending that status to the Western Hemisphere as a whole;
ACKNOWLEDGING the progress made towards making the Western Hemisphere an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone by the following actions:
a. The mine action programs in Central America; continuing support by the OAS, its member states, and other states for the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America; and cooperation agreements such as the one signed in January 1999 by Canada, Mexico, and the Pan American Health Organization;
b. The destruction by the Government of Nicaragua on April 12, 1999, of 5,000 stockpiled antipersonnel mines, in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Ottawa Convention;
c. The mine-clearing operations, connected with border demarcation, carried out by Ecuador and Peru as a result of the Brasilia accords signed in 1998, mainly with national resources and capabilities;
d. The support given by Canada, Japan, Spain, and the United States to Ecuador and Peru in their mine-clearing activities; and the recent establishment–within the OAS framework, under the auspices of Canada, and with support from the General Secretariat–of a specific fund, administered by the UPD, to support the mine-clearing associated with demarcation of the border between Ecuador and Peru;
e. The commitment by the United States to clear all of its land mines around Guantanamo Base in Cuba by the end of 1999;
f. The increased funding for mine action by member states that are able to provide support; and
g. The concerted efforts of the United States, through the Demining 2010 Initiative, to increase international coordination with a view to accelerating mine-clearing and thereby eliminating the threat of land mines to civilians;
RECOGNIZING the important work of the Landmine Monitor of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL Monitor); and
RECALLING the request that member states submit information on an annual basis for the OAS Register of Antipersonnel Land Mines, established by Permanent Council resolution CP/RES. 724 (1162/98), in compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1496 (XXVII-O/97),
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm the goals of the global elimination of antipersonnel land mines and the conversion of the Western Hemisphere into an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone.
2. To urge that member states that have not yet done so (a) consider ratifying or acceding to the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction as soon as possible, in order to ensure its full and effective universalization and implementation; and (b) report to the General Secretariat on the evolution of their country’s position with respect to the Convention.
3. Once again to call upon member states that have not yet done so to declare and implement moratoria on the production, use, and transfer of all antipersonnel land mines in the Western Hemisphere at the earliest possible date and to inform the Secretary General when they have done so.
4. Once again to urge member states that have not yet done so to become parties to the 1980 United Nations Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects and its four protocols, as soon as possible; and to request member states to inform the Secretary General when they have done so.
5. Once again to urge member states, as they work towards the goal adopted in resolution AG/RES. 1411 (XXVI-O/96), to continue to implement measures aimed at halting the proliferation of antipersonnel land mines, at the destruction of stockpiles, and at the declaration of moratoria on production and transfers at the earliest possible date; and to encourage member states to adopt domestic legislation, as necessary, to prohibit the private possession and transfer of antipersonnel land mines and inform the Secretary General when they have done so.
6. Once again to urge member states to continue an effective educational campaign creating awareness in the civilian population of the danger posed by antipersonnel landmines.
7. To reiterate the importance of participation by all member states in the OAS Register of Antipersonnel Land Mines by April 15 of each year, in keeping with AG/RES. 1496 (XXVI-O/96), and to commend member states that have regularly submitted their reports to that end.
8. To encourage member states, as appropriate, either to request or to provide assistance with the aim of furthering both the Mine Action Agenda and the OAS goal of the Western Hemisphere as an Antipersonnel-Land-Mine-Free Zone.
9. To request the General Secretariat to
inform the United Nations about the progress made by the OAS mine-clearing
programs in the Hemisphere and coordinate with the United Nations to prevent
the duplication of efforts, thereby making optimal use of the resources
available to the international community.
10. To reconfirm its commitment to mine-clearing in Central America; and to request that the Permanent Council, through its Committee on Hemispheric Security and with support from the General Secretariat, consider ways of redoubling OAS humanitarian mine-clearing efforts in Central America, particularly in view of the devastating impact of Hurricane Mitch.
11. To request the Secretary General to continue to consider the possibility of developing new demining programs in the Americas to assist affected member states, upon their request, in fulfilling their commitment to convert the Western Hemisphere into an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone.
12. To urge the member states and permanent observers to provide assistance, through the OAS or at the bilateral level, as appropriate, for the national mine-clearing programs carried out by Ecuador and Peru within their territories, in accordance with the requests received and the terms set forth therein; and, in this respect, to request the General Secretariat to support the efforts of the two states in this area.
13. To urge all member states that have not yet done so to develop national mine action strategies, as appropriate.
14. To recognize the contribution to furthering our goal of making the Western Hemisphere an antipersonnel-land-mine-free zone made by participants from the governmental and nongovernmental sectors of member states, by regional and international organizations, and by donor countries to the Regional Seminar on Antipersonnel Mines: "Reaffirming Our Commitment," hosted by Mexico and Canada with support from the OAS and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
15. To recognize further the significant contribution to global and hemispheric security that resulted from the first meeting of states parties to the Ottawa Convention held in Maputo, Mozambique, May 3-7, 1999.
16. To request that the General Secretariat continue to provide to the United Nations, PAHO, and other appropriate international and hemispheric organizations, updated information on OAS activities to promote the elimination of all use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of antipersonnel land mines, and to promote programs supporting the removal of such mines.
17. To request that the General Secretariat also provide such information, as necessary, to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Landmine Monitor of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL Monitor).
18. To request that the General Secretariat
establish, in the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD), a roster of
mine-clearing experts and a data-bank on other related aspects, based on
information voluntarily submitted by member states on mine-clearing operations,
the rehabilitation of victims and fundraising.
19. To instruct the General Secretariat to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution within the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
20. To instruct the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1645 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN, the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99), and in particular, the section dealing with the Report of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH- 214/99), which includes the topic “Support for the Committee on Hemispheric Security”;
BEARING IN MIND that, pursuant to Article 112 of the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), one of the functions of the General Secretariat is to advise the other organs, when appropriate;
CONSIDERING:
That resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), “Confidence- and Security-Building in the Hemisphere” resolves “to instruct the Permanent Council, working through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, to: (a) “Follow-up on and expand topics related to the strengthening of confidence- and security-building measures”; (b) “Analyze the meaning, scope, and implications of international security concepts in the Hemisphere, with a view to developing the most appropriate common approaches by which to manage their various aspects, including disarmament and arms control”; and (c) “Identify ways to revitalize and strengthen agencies of the inter-American system related to the various aspects of hemispheric security”;
That the aforementioned resolution instructs the Secretary General to receive information from the member states on the application of confidence- and security-building measures, so as to facilitate, in particular, the preparation of the complete and systematic inventory of these measures, in light of the provisions of the Declarations of San Salvador and Santiago and the pertinent resolutions; to receive information submitted by the member states for the preparation of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the United Nations Standardized International Reporting of Military Expenditures; and to update each year, on the basis of information submitted by the member states, the roster of experts on confidence- and security-building measures, and to circulate it to the member states each year by the month of June; and
That the aforementioned resolution also instructs the Secretary General to provide, “specialized support to the Committee on Hemispheric Security, within existing budgetary resources, and to strengthen that of a technical-administrative nature which currently exists, so that the Committee may fulfill the mandates entrusted to it by the General Assembly and the Second Summit of the Americas”;
NOTING the role of the General Secretariat as Depositary of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials, and in particular, in relation to the support which it should provide to the Consultative Committee established by said Convention, as well as, in the future, its role with respect to the tasks assigned to the Depositary by the Inter-American Convention on Transparency on Conventional Weapons Acquisitions in the Americas;
REITERATING ITS SATISFACTION that the Permanent Council, through resolution CP/RES. 724 (1162/98), established a Register of Antipersonnel Land Mines and asked the General Secretariat “to keep the Permanent Council informed of all updated information presented by the member states”;
CONVINCED of the necessity of providing support to the Committee on Hemispheric Security (the Committee) to implement and fulfill the mandates of the General Assembly, particularly those mentioned above;
UNDERSCORING the efforts of the OAS to deal with the special security concerns of small island states defined in the Conclusions and Recommendations of the High-Level Meeting on the Special Security Concerns of Small Island States (1998) and in the Declaration of San Salvador on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures (1998);
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the support by the Secretary General for the work of the Committee in compliance with the above cited resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98);
NOTING ALSO the opening of a Documentation Center for the Committee, run by the General Secretariat’s Coordinator for Hemispheric Security Affairs, containing documents relating to this topic, the information submitted by the member states, and all information which might be of interest to the work of the Committee; and
TAKING NOTE ALSO of the creation of an Internet page for the Committee, for the purpose of disseminating the resolutions and reports produced by the OAS in the field of hemispheric security, and the principal documents and bilateral and multilateral agreements on different aspects of hemispheric security that concern the inter-American system,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the Annual Report of the Permanent Council in so far as it relates to the activities of the Committee on Hemispheric Security.
2. To instruct the Secretary General to consider further enhancing the professional, technical, and administrative support currently provided to the Committee by the General Secretariat, through any means that he deems necessary to comply with the mandates entrusted to the General Secretariat by the General Assembly.
3. To request the General Secretariat to compile, organize, and update files and databases on confidence- and security-building measures in the Hemisphere, taking into account the inventory of confidence- and security-building measures of a military nature requested of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), in order to make them available to member states in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98). To request also that the General Secretariat study and disseminate in a timely manner various aspects and studies related to these topics.
4. Further, to request that the Secretary General, in coordination with the Chair of the Committee:
a. Facilitate the Committee’s exchange of experiences and cooperation with international organizations, such as the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which are working in areas related to confidence- and security-building;
b. Strengthen, in the framework of the cooperation agreements between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the UN, the Committee’s exchanges with the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs, and in particular, with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean;
c. Compile the documents arising from subregional and national governmental meetings, as well as those of an academic nature on international security, and report to the member states on their availability; and
d. Continue to incorporate into the Internet page of the Committee information on official OAS documents on the topic and on its work program, as well as the principal documents and bilateral and multilateral agreements involving the inter-American system with respect to the different aspects of hemispheric security.
5. To request that the Secretary General carry out the mandates set forth in this resolution, within existing budgetary resources of the Organization and other resources.
AG/RES. 1646 (XXIX-O/99)
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF EXTERNAL AUDITORS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Report of the Permanent Council on the report of the Board of External Auditors (CP/CAAP-2465/99 rev. 1); and
The Report to the Permanent Council “Audit of Accounts and Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 1998 and 1996” by the Board of External Auditors, and the important recommendations contained therein,
RESOLVES:
1. To
take note of the report of the Board of External Auditors “Audit of Accounts
and Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 1998 and 1996,” and
the Permanent Council’s report on the report of the Board of External Auditors.
2. To thank the Chair of the Board, Mrs. Jacqueline Williams-Bridgers, for her work and her commitment during her term as Chair of the Board of External Auditors.
3. To instruct the Permanent Council, through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, to look at the Board’s recommendations in greater depth and recommend appropriate action.
4. To instruct the General Secretariat to take appropriate steps to implement any action as a result of the Permanent Council’s recommendations.
5. To instruct the Permanent Council to report on implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1647 (XXIX-O/99)
PERSONNEL POLICY REFORM
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
BEARING IN MIND the need to consider the documents “Personnel Policy Reform with comments from the Staff Association” (GETC/FORMOEA-29/98); “Report of the Working Group on the Career Service in the OAS General Secretariat” (CP/doc.3187/99); “Personnel Policy” (CP/doc.3198/99); “Comparative Grid on Personnel Policy (CP/CAAP-2470/99); and (CP/CAAP-2470/99 add. 1); “Comparative Study on the Life and Health Insurance Benefits offered by the General Secretariat and other International Organizations” (CP/doc.3183/99); and “Pensions for Retired Executives and Health and Life Insurance for Retired Employees” (CP/doc.2981/97);
CONSIDERING:
That by resolution AG/RES. 1596 (XXVIII-O/98) the General Assembly instructed the General Secretariat "to improve the Organization's existing employment mechanisms where necessary, focusing in particular on increasing transparency and simplifying the various hiring mechanisms" and to assist the Permanent Council in preparing “a study with recommendations on the career service policy of the General Secretariat for review by the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session;" and
That by resolution AG/RES. 1 (XXV-E/98), the General Assembly instructed the Secretary General “to present a study on the distribution of personnel across all levels and to present recommendations to be adopted by the twenty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly on restructuring that distribution with a view to building a workforce more appropriate to the changing needs of the Organization and to establishing an appropriate personnel policy, taking into account geographical representation in accordance with Article 120 of the Charter;”
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the Permanent Council, to continue its study of the General Secretariat’s career service policy and other personnel policy matters, and to adopt such measures as may be appropriate, ad referendum of the General Assembly.
2. To extend the mandate to the Secretary General to improve the General Secretariat’s existing employment mechanisms where necessary, focusing in particular on increasing transparency and simplifying the various hiring mechanisms of the General Secretariat, and to inform the Permanent Council of the changes effected within his authority, so that it may report to the next General Assembly.
3. To extend the mandate to the Secretary General to keep the Permanent Council updated on the implementation of the new performance evaluation system; and to request the Permanent Council to report to the next General Assembly on the results.
4. To instruct the Secretary General to maintain, without prejudice to the future of the career service, the freeze on all vacant slots in the career service until such time as the General Assembly takes a definitive decision.
AG/RES. 1648 (XXIX-O/99)
PROMOTION OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
BEARING IN MIND that the Charter of the Organization of American States establishes in its preamble “that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace and development of the region” and that one of its purposes is “to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention”;
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99) and, in particular, the chapter on the Report of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CP/CAJP-1506 rev. 3) as it relates to the promotion of representative democracy;
CONSIDERING:
Resolution AG/RES. 1063 (XX-O/90), which requested the Secretary General “to establish within the General Secretariat a Unit for the Promotion of Democracy,” and resolution CP/RES. 572 (882/91), in which the Permanent Council adopted the Program of Support for the Promotion of Democracy; and
That, pursuant to resolution CP/RES. 572 (882/91), the Unit “will be available to perform such tasks as the competent authorities may entrust to it in support of democracy in the Hemisphere”;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT resolutions AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91), AG/RES. 1402 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1475 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1551 (XXVIII-O/98), “Promotion of Representative Democracy,” in which the Permanent Council was instructed to prepare a series of proposed incentives to preserve and strengthen democratic systems; and
RECALLING:
That, in the 1991 Santiago Commitment to Democracy and the Renewal of the Inter-American System, the foreign ministers and heads of delegation of the member states declared their inescapable commitment to the defense and promotion of representative democracy and human rights in the region, in keeping with the principle of nonintervention;
That, in the Declaration of Managua for the Promotion of Democracy and Development, of 1993, the foreign ministers and heads of delegation of the member states declared that the support and cooperation provided by the OAS–to strengthen democratic institutions through programs that help the states requesting such assistance increase their own ability to improve their political organization models–are fundamental to this new hemispheric commitment; and, in that regard, they underscored the contribution made by the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy and the Permanent Council toward preparing proposed incentives for the preservation and strengthening of democratic systems in the Hemisphere;
That, in the Declaration of Principles of the First Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in December 1994, the Heads of State and Government declared that democracy is the sole political system which guarantees respect for human rights and the rule of law while it safeguards cultural diversity, pluralism, respect for the rights of minorities, and peace within and among nations, and that democracy and development reinforce one another;
That, in the Santiago Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, the Heads of State and Government reiterated the importance of strengthening democratic systems in the Hemisphere; and
That the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas urges governments to enhance cooperation with and support for the efforts of the Organization of American States in this area,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the Permanent Council on the promotion of representative democracy.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council, through the Working Group on Representative Democracy, to:
a. Continue to provide follow-up and give guidance, as necessary, to the General Secretariat regarding its activities in the area of democracy–particularly to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy in the pursuit of its objectives and the implementation of its work plans;
c. Promote cooperation in related activities and coordination between the UPD and the various organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS in order to increase the impact of the Organization’s activities to promote and defend representative democracy in the region as well as to guarantee the efficiency of such activities;
c. Request the General Secretariat, through the UPD and in coordination with the organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS, to keep updated the annual inventory on the activities related to the promotion of representative democracy carried out in the Organization;
d. Study and approve, by the end of 1999, the UPD work plan for the year 2000, ensuring that the work plan includes activities in support of the mandates on the promotion and defense of democracy set forth in the plans of action of the Summits of the Americas that have been assigned to the OAS;
e. Instruct the General Secretariat to pursue, through the UPD, the design and implementation of programs geared to the promotion, exchange, and training of young leaders of the Hemisphere; report periodically to the Permanent Council on progress made in this area; and present plans for a hemispheric event that will reflect the experience gained from the courses and seminars organized by the UPD in various subregions of the Hemisphere, within the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources;
f. Continue examining the quarterly progress reports on the activities of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, including data on the level of budgetary execution, which will be presented by the General Secretariat within 45 days following the end of each quarter, and include its comments and observations in its annual report;
g. Continue work on formulating proposed incentives to preserve and strengthen democratic systems in the Hemisphere.
3. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue, through the UPD and in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, to conduct studies and seminars and to promote or sponsor efforts related to the promotion of democracy in the region.
4. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue, through the UPD, and pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1599 (XXVIII-O/98), to facilitate dialogue among the parliaments of the Hemisphere within the framework of the OAS, using the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
5. To encourage the UPD to keep member states well informed, through the Working Group on Representative Democracy, regarding implementation of the activities contemplated in its work plan, in order to ensure that they are well publicized throughout the Hemisphere.
6. To take note of the Manual for the Organization of Election Observation Missions in the Framework of the OAS and to request the General Secretariat to prepare a revised version of it, taking into account the observations made by the Working Group on Representative Democracy.
7. To instruct the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1649 (XXIX-O/99)
ENHANCEMENT OF PROBITY
IN THE HEMISPHERE AND FOLLOW-UP ON
THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR COOPERATION
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on enhancing probity in the Hemisphere and follow-up on the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption (CP/CAJP-1458/99), presented in fulfillment of the General Assembly mandate contained in resolution AG/RES. 1552 (XXVIII-O/98);
CONSIDERING:
That, in its preamble, the Charter of the Organization of American States affirms that “representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace and development of the region” and that “juridical organization is a necessary condition for security and peace founded on moral order and on justice”;
That, in signing the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, the member states noted in its preamble that they were “convinced that corruption undermines the legitimacy of public institutions and strikes at society, moral order and justice as well as at the comprehensive development of peoples”;
That the purposes of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption are to promote and strengthen the development, by each of the states parties, of the mechanisms needed to prevent, detect, punish, and eradicate corruption, and to promote, facilitate, and regulate cooperation among the states parties to ensure the effectiveness of measures and actions to prevent, detect, punish, and eradicate acts of corruption in the performance of public functions and acts of corruption specifically related to such performance;
That, in resolution AG/RES. 1477 (XXVII-O/97) it adopted the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption;
That in resolution AG/RES. 1552 (XXVIII-O/98), “Enhancement of Probity in the Hemisphere and Follow-up on the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption,” it convened the Symposium on Enhancing Probity in the Hemisphere, which was held from November 4-6, 1998, in Santiago, Chile, and from which numerous conclusions and recommendations emerged;
That the Inter-American Juridical Committee, as commissioned by the General Assembly, drafted the document entitled “Model Legislation on Illicit Enrichment and Transnational Bribery” (CP/doc.3146/99), which includes a guide for the legislator with respect to these important concepts included in the Inter-American Convention against Corruption; and
That in order to support implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed a cooperation agreement at OAS headquarters on March 26, 1999; and
ACKNOWLEDGING WITH SATISFACTION that the Inter-American Convention against Corruption has already been ratified by 16 member states,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge the member states that have not yet done so to consider, as appropriate, signing, ratifying, or acceding to the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.
2. To thank the Inter-American Juridical Committee for the important contribution it has made in drafting the “Model Legislation on Illicit Enrichment and Transnational Bribery,” which will prove highly useful in the work of incorporating the concepts contained in the Inter-American Convention against Corruption in national juridical systems.
3. To express its satisfaction at the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), that substantially supports implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.
4. To instruct the Permanent Council to:
a. Resume the activities of the Working Group on Probity and Public Ethics of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs so that it may follow up on the activities included in the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption as well as the recommendations that emerged from the Symposium on Enhancing Probity in the Hemisphere, held in Santiago, Chile, in November 1998;
b. Continue to promote the exchange of experiences and information among public institutions and international organizations, including consideration of the contributions of civil society institutions, in accordance with the Symposium's recommendations;
c. Consider, in pursuing the follow-up to the Inter-American Program on the Fight Against Corruption, specific measures to encourage ratification and implementation of the Convention, strengthen cooperation, and provide technical assistance to member states which request it, and exchange information and experiences regarding implementation of the Convention taking into account the conclusions and recommendations of the Symposium on Enhancement of Probity in the Hemisphere; and
d. Implement the approved measures as a matter of priority, taking into account the institutional support necessary for their application.
5. To urge the General Secretariat to:
a. Provide the Permanent Council with the necessary support for carrying out those tasks, in particular regarding the study of ways to obtain the resources required for implementing the Symposium's recommendations and for executing the activities envisaged in the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption, in order to strengthen the Organization's capacity for cooperation in this area;
b. Continue to lend technical support to the exchange of information mentioned in paragraph 4.b.
6. To request the Permanent Council to present to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session a report on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1650 (XXIX-O/99)
HEMISPHERIC COOPERATION TO PREVENT,
COMBAT, AND ELIMINATE TERRORISM
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on hemispheric cooperation to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism (CP/CAJP-1528/99 rev. 1), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1553 (XXVIII-O/98);
BEARING IN MIND the Declaration and the Plan of Action on Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism, adopted in Lima at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism in 1996;
BEARING IN MIND ALSO that, in the Plan of Action adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, the Heads of State and Government agreed to convene, within the framework the Organization of American States, the Second Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism, to evaluate progress made and define future courses of action to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism; and
CONSIDERING:
That resolution AG/RES. 1553 (XXVIII-O/98), “Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism,” instructed the Permanent Council to carry out the preparatory work for the Second Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism, with a view to its convocation;
That the Second Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on November 23 and 24, 1998;
That, at that conference, the member states of the Organization of American States adopted the Commitment of Mar del Plata, through which they decided to recommend to the General Assembly, at its twenty-ninth regular session, that it, inter alia, “establish an appropriate institutional framework, in keeping with the Charter of the Organization of American States”; and
That the Government of the United States has offered to host a meeting to constitute the “appropriate institutional framework” referred to in the previous paragraph,
RESOLVES:
1. To endorse the decisions and recommendations contained in the Commitment of Mar del Plata and its three appendices adopted by the Second Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism, held in Mar del Plata, Argentina on November 23 and 24, 1998.
2. To reiterate the relevance and importance of the Declaration and the Plan of Action on Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism, adopted in Lima, in 1996, at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism.
3. To establish, taking into account the sovereignty of states and the principle of nonintervention, the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), composed of the competent national authorities of the OAS member states, the purpose of which shall be to develop cooperation to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorist acts and activities.
4. To instruct the General Secretariat, within its sphere of competence, to appoint an “instance” to provide technical and administrative support for CICTE activities, in keeping with resources allocated in the OAS program-budget and other resources; and, in order to comply effectively with that instruction, to take into account any recommendations that CICTE might make at its first session, as well as the progress made in the process of modernization and strengthening of the OAS pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98).
5. To approve the CICTE Statute, which is attached to this resolution as an appendix.
6. To instruct the General Secretariat to collaborate with CICTE in preparing its Rules of Procedure, which are to be adopted by CICTE itself.
7. To request the Permanent Council to make the necessary arrangements for a meeting to establish CICTE to be held in the second half of 1999, in keeping with resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
8. To thank the Government of the United States for its kind offer to host the meeting to establish CICTE, to be held in Miami, Florida, in the second half of 1999, at a date to be determined by the Permanent Council; and to accept that offer.
9. To instruct the Permanent Council to study and adopt suitable funding mechanisms, in particular the establishment of a specific fund for implementing programs and activities approved within the CICTE framework.
10. To urge member states to make every effort to provide the Organization with sufficient funds to carry out the joint programs and activities approved by CICTE.
11. To instruct the General Secretariat to
take the necessary steps to obtain from outside sources, including the
permanent observers to the OAS and other states and financial institutions, in
particular the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the supplementary funds
needed to ensure the success of the actions taken to combat terrorism within
the CICTE framework.
12. To recommend to the Permanent Council that, in preparing its observations and recommendations to the General Assembly on the report of CICTE in accordance with Article 91.f of the Charter, it refer to the required coordination of CICTE activities with those of the other OAS bodies.
13. To urge member states that have not yet done so to pay prompt and special attention to signing, ratifying, and/or acceding to, as the case may be and in accordance with their domestic legislation, the international conventions related to terrorism referred to in United Nations General Assembly resolution 51/210 and the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, open for signature since January 12, 1998, at United Nations headquarters.
14. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to examine the necessity and advisability of an inter-American convention on terrorism in the light of existing international instruments.
15. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
APPENDIX
DRAFT STATUTE OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE
AGAINST TERRORISM (CICTE)
NATURE, PRINCIPLES, AND PURPOSES
The Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (hereinafter “CICTE” or “the Committee”) is an entity of the Organization of American States (hereinafter “OAS” or “the Organization”) established by the OAS General Assembly in conformity with Article 53 of the Charter of the Organization, for the purpose of promoting cooperation to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorist acts and activities.
CICTE enjoys technical autonomy in the exercise of its functions, within the limits set by the Charter of the Organization, its own Statute and Rules of Procedure, and the mandates conferred on it by the General Assembly.
CICTE shall be governed in its activities by the pertinent rules of the Organization, this Statute and its Rules of Procedure, decisions of the General Assembly, and its own decisions.
Chapter II
COMPOSITION
The Committee shall be composed of the competent national authorities of all member states of the OAS.
Each of the member states of the Organization shall appoint a principal representative and such alternate representatives and advisers as it deems appropriate.
The member states of the Organization shall inform the Secretary General of the OAS of the appointments referred to in Article 4 of this Statute and of any change in the composition of their representation.
Article 6
The Committee shall establish rules for the participation of permanent observers to the Organization in its activities.
Chapter III
THE SECRETARIAT
The
General Secretariat shall provide support to the Committee.
The Secretary General shall appoint an “instance” to provide technical and administrative support to the Committee in its activities, in keeping with allocated resources approved in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources. Additional technical and administrative support within this “instance” may be provided on a voluntary basis by member states or other sources in accordance with Article 12 of this Statute.
Within two years of the entry into force of this Statute, the Permanent Council, at the request of CICTE, shall review the nature of the technical and administrative support needed by the Committee to carry out its work.
The General Secretariat shall:
a. Serve as secretariat during sessions of the Committee;
b. Cooperate in preparing the reports that the Committee is to present to the General Assembly through the Permanent Council, and in any tasks that the Committee entrusts to it; and
c. Transmit decisions of the Committee to the governments of the member states of the Organization through their permanent missions.
QUORUM AND VOTING
A majority of the member states of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Article
10
Each member state of the Committee shall have the right to one vote. The Committee shall do its utmost to reach its decisions by consensus. In the absence of a consensus, the Committee shall take decisions by the vote of a simple majority of the member states present, except when a two-thirds vote is specifically required.
Chapter V
BUDGET AND FINANCES
The Organization, within its approved program-budget, shall cover the secretariat costs of the Committee. Within allocated resources approved in the program-budget, the Organization shall provide secretariat support to the annual meeting of the Committee based on the costs of staging this meeting in OAS facilities in Washington, D.C. Any incremental costs generated by staging the meeting outside Washington, D.C., would be borne by the host country.
Activities approved by the Committee for execution by the General Secretariat should primarily be funded by specific contributions from member states of the Organization, as well as from other states and international intergovernmental organizations through such appropriate mechanisms as the establishment of specific and trust funds that may be required pursuant to Articles 68 and 69 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat.
Each member state shall be responsible for the costs of participation of its delegation at CICTE meetings.
Chapter VI
FUNCTIONS
CICTE shall perform its functions pursuant to Article 91(f) of the Charter.
CICTE shall conduct its work on the basis of international conventions on this matter; the principles and objectives of the Declaration of Lima to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism (hereinafter the “Declaration of Lima”) and the Plan of Action of Lima on Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism (hereinafter the “Plan of Action of Lima”); and the Commitment of Mar del Plata.
The Committee shall have the following functions:
a. To promote the development of inter-American cooperation to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism;
b. To establish a framework for technical cooperation that takes into account the suggested guidelines set forth in Appendices I, II, and III to the Commitment of Mar del Plata;
c. To encourage, develop, coordinate, and assess the application of the Declaration and Plan of Action of Lima, the recommendations of the Meeting of Government Experts to Examine Ways to Improve the Exchange of Information and Other Measures for Cooperation among Member States to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism, held at the headquarters of the Organization in May 1997, and the recommendations contained in the Commitment of Mar del Plata;
d. To provide assistance to member states requesting it, in order to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism, while promoting, in accordance with the domestic laws of the member states, the exchange of experiences and information on the activities of persons, groups, organizations, and movements linked to terrorist acts as well as with the methods, sources of finance and entities directly or indirectly protecting or supporting them, and their possible links to other crimes;
e. To consider proposals on ways and means such as the “Directory of Competences for the Prevention, Combating, and Elimination of Terrorism,” and the “Inter-American Database on Terrorism," proposed at the Meeting of Government Experts to Examine Ways to Improve the Exchange of Information and Other Measures for Cooperation among Member States to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism, held at OAS headquarters in May 1997;
f. To coordinate its work with that of the Consultative Committee established by the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Production of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials, adopted at OAS headquarters on November 14, 1997, with a view to ensuring an adequate exchange of information on the issue of illicit trafficking in arms, munitions, explosives, materials, or technology capable of being used to perpetrate terrorist acts or activities;
g. To establish mechanisms of coordination with other competent international entities in the matter, with the concurrence of the competent authorities;
h. To present to the General Assembly an annual report through the Permanent Council and such special reports as it may deem appropriate; and
i. To carry out the mandates of the General Assembly.
Chapter VII
HEADQUARTERS AND MEETINGS
The headquarters of the Committee shall be that of the General Secretariat of the Organization.
Any member state of the Organization may invite the Committee to meet in its territory. The Committee shall decide whether to accept invitations to meet away from headquarters, and the host country shall bear any additional costs arising from meeting away from headquarters.
Article
17
CICTE shall hold at least one annual session.
Chapter VIII
CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
The Committee shall have a chair and a vice chair, elected from among the member states. The corresponding duties shall be performed by the principal representatives of the member states so elected.
Elections
to these posts shall be held at each annual session of the Committee. The chair and the vice chair shall exercise
their mandate until the next session of CICTE.
The chair and the vice chair shall be elected by the vote of a majority of CICTE member states present. If the voting does not produce a majority and it is necessary to take more than one ballot, those candidates receiving the least number of votes in each ballot shall be eliminated until one of the remaining candidates obtains a majority.
The ballot shall be secret.
The Chair shall perform his or her functions in accordance with the Committee’s Rules of Procedure.
In case of the absence, incapacity, or resignation of the chair, the duties of the chair shall be assumed by the vice chair.
If the respective national authorities for any reason decide to replace their principal representative while that person is serving as chair or vice chair of the Committee, the newly appointed official shall occupy the position until the end of the respective mandate.
If the member state serving as chair or vice chair resigns, the Committee may hold a special election to fill the position so vacated.
The chair may delegate to the vice chair such functions as it deems appropriate, as stipulated in the Rules of Procedure.
Chapter IX
STATUTE AND RULES OF PROCEDURE
This Statute, when approved by the General Assembly, may be amended only by that body.
The Committee may propose amendments to this Statute to the General Assembly.
The Committee shall approve and amend its Rules of Procedure in conformity with this Statute, and shall so notify the General Assembly in its annual report.
This Statute shall enter into force on the date of its adoption by the General Assembly.
Chapter X
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
The General Assembly shall convene the first session of CICTE.
During its first session, CICTE shall consider its work schedule, which shall be guided by the following work proposals:
a. To create an inter-American network for gathering and transmitting data via the competent national authorities, designed to exchange information and experiences with the activities of persons, groups, organizations, and movements linked to terrorist acts as well as with the methods, sources of finance and entities directly or indirectly protecting or supporting them, and their possible links to other crimes, including the creation of an inter-American database on terrorism issues that will be at the disposal of member states;
b. To compile the legal and regulatory norms on preventing, combating, and eliminating terrorism in force in member states;
c. To compile the bilateral, subregional, regional, or multilateral treaties and agreements signed by member states to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism;
d. To study the appropriate mechanisms to ensure more effective application of international legal norms on the subject, especially the norms and provisions contemplated in the conventions against terrorism in force between states parties to those conventions;
e. To formulate proposals designed to provide assistance to states requesting it in drafting national antiterrorist laws;
f. To devise mechanisms for cooperation in detecting forged identity documents;
g. To devise mechanisms for cooperation among competent migration authorities; and
h. To
design technical cooperation programs and activities for training staff
assigned to tasks related to preventing, combating, and eliminating terrorism
in each of the member states that request such assistance.
AG/RES. 1651 (XXIX-O/99)
THE PREVENTION OF AND WAR ON CRIME
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The report of the Permanent Council on the topic “The Prevention of and War on Crime” (CP/CAJP-1530/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1563 (XXVIII-O/98);
The report of the Secretary General on relevant international experience with the prevention of and war on crime, especially the complementary measures identified in that report that could be adopted in the inter-American system (CP/CAJP-1415/99); and
The final report of the Meeting of Government Experts on the Prevention of and War on Crime (REGDEL/doc.9/99), held in Medellín, Colombia, on April 19 and 20, 1999, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1563 (XXVIII-O/98);
MINDFUL of the will of the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere, reiterated in a series of declarations, to prevent, control, and combat all aspects of crime with determination and vigor, based on the premise that crime is one of the most pressing problems in the region;
RECALLING the “Declaration of Montrouis: A New Vision of the OAS,” which expresses the intent "to foster an exchange of experiences in the prevention of and war on crime and to study possible measures to improve public safety";
BEARING IN MIND that the prevention of and war on crime are top priorities for all the countries;
RECOGNIZING the need to review strategies and recommend cooperative action to confront this common problem;
EMPHASIZING the advisability of fostering dialogue and the exchange of experience among member states in connection with problems faced and progress achieved, in order to standardize criteria and step up cooperation;
UNDERSCORING the importance of promoting and providing technical assistance that will help to strengthen, in an institutional sense, the national authorities responsible for the prevention of and war on crime;
IN CONFORMITY WITH the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of American States;
BEARING IN MIND that resolution AG/RES. 1490 (XXVII-O/97) instructed the Permanent Council to study and analyze the report presented by the General Secretariat proposing the establishment of a special program of support for national efforts in the prevention of and war on crime; and
CONSIDERING that the Meeting of Government Experts on the Prevention of and War on Crime, held in Medellín, Colombia, on April 19 and 20, 1999, was convened by the General Assembly through resolution AG/RES. 1563 (XXVIII-O/98), "to facilitate a broad hemispheric discussion that will set the parameters and guidelines for addressing inter-American cooperation in these areas and provide a basis on which the OAS may develop a multilateral program in this area,"
RESOLVES:
1. To express its most sincere gratitude to the Government of Colombia for its outstanding support, which ensured the success of the Meeting of Government Experts on the Prevention of and War on Crime, held in Medellín, Colombia, on April 19 and 20, 1999.
2. To take note of the Final Report of the Meeting of Government Experts on the Prevention of and War on Crime.
3. To instruct the Permanent Council to take appropriate action for adequate consideration of the recommendations arising from the above-mentioned Meeting of Government Experts.
4. To request that the General Secretariat continue to compile international experience in this area, particularly within the United Nations, and that it handle the arrangements for technical and financial support from other multilateral institutions, such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Pan American Health Organization, as well as from the permanent observers, for the design and execution of those activities the Permanent Council deems appropriate.
5. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1652 (XXIX-O/99)
observations and recommendations on the ANNUAL
REPORT OF THE
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE
General Assembly,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual report of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CP/CAJP-1525/99 rev. 1 corr. 1) and the presentation of that report by the President of the Court, Judge Hernán Salgado Pesantes; and
CONSIDERING:
That Article 54.f of the Charter of the Organization of American States establishes that it is a function of the General Assembly to consider the observations and recommendations presented by the Permanent Council on the reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization in accordance with Article 91.f of the Charter;
That Article 65 of the American Convention on Human Rights establishes that the Court shall submit to the OAS General Assembly for consideration a report on its work during the preceding year and shall specify, in particular, the cases in which a state has not complied with the Court’s judgments, making any pertinent recommendations;
That the Inter-American Court of Human Rights presented its annual report to the Permanent Council, which has forwarded observations and recommendations thereon to the General Assembly; and,
That the member states of Haiti, Brazil, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic have accepted the Court’s contentious jurisdiction,
RESOLVES:
1. To receive and transmit to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights the observations and recommendations of the OAS Permanent Council on the annual report.
2. To express its satisfaction that the Governments of Haiti, Brazil, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic have recognized the Court’s contentious jurisdiction, which recognition helps to strengthen the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Document1
3. To urge those member states of the OAS
that have not yet done so to give special, prompt consideration to signing,
ratifying, or acceding to, as appropriate and in keeping with their
constitutional precepts and domestic law, the American Convention on Human
Rights, or Pact of San José, and to accept, as appropriate, the contentious
jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
4. To provide the Inter-American Court of Human Rights with an appropriate level of funding and the necessary support to enable it to continue performing the important functions entrusted to it by the American Convention on Human Rights.
5. To thank the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for its work during the period covered by the report and to urge it to proceed with its important tasks.
AG/RES. 1653 (XXIX-O/99)
PLAN OF ACTION OF THE
GENERAL SECRETARIAT TO EXTEND
THE SPECIAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR THE CARIBBEAN PROGRAM
TO OTHER STATES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN that in resolution AG/RES. 1387 (XXVI-O/96), the General Assembly resolves to extend the undergraduate Special Fellowships for the Caribbean Program (SPECAF) to benefit other Caribbean Basin states, including Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, as well as Bolivia, Ecuador, and Paraguay;
BEARING IN MIND that in resolutions AG/RES. 1461 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1583 (XXVIII-O/98) the General Assembly resolves to request the General Secretariat to submit to the Permanent Council a detailed plan of action to implement the mandate set forth in operative paragraph 2 of resolution AG/RES. 1387 (XXVI-O/96); and
RECALLING that the funds to implement resolution AG/RES. 1387 (XXVI-O/96) must come from external sources and other funding mechanisms, which the General Secretariat is responsible for identifying,
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the General Secretariat to present to the Permanent Council, by October 31, 1999, at the latest, a detailed plan of action for identifying external funds to enable the Special Fellowships for the Caribbean Program to be extended to other member states, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1387 (XXVI-O/96).
2. To request the General Secretariat, beginning in April 2000, to present to the Permanent Council progress reports on the plan of action mentioned in the preceding operative paragraph, which include details on any external resources obtained and the activities undertaken to implement resolution AG/RES. 1387 (XXVI-O/96).
3. To request the General Secretariat to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1654 (XXIX-O/99)
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION (CICAD)
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization of American States (OAS), presented pursuant to Article 91.f of the OAS Charter (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2), and in particular those on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) (CP/doc.3175/99);
REAFFIRMING its commitment to the principles and purposes set forth by the OAS in the Inter-American Program of Action of Rio de Janeiro against the Illicit Use and Production of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Traffic Therein; the Declaration and Program of Action of Ixtapa; the Inter-American Program of Quito: Comprehensive Education to Prevent Drug Abuse; and most recently, the Anti-Drug Strategy in the Hemisphere, approved in Buenos Aires, October 1996;
RECALLING:
The drug control initiatives in the Plan of Action of the First Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in December 1994, and the activities carried out by CICAD to implement them; and
The Declaration and the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998; and
RECOGNIZING:
The continued excellence of the work carried out by CICAD and its assistance to member states in combating illicit drug trafficking throughout the Hemisphere;
The progress that CICAD has made in responding to the mandate of the Second Summit of the Americas to develop a single, objective process of multilateral governmental evaluation in order to monitor the progress of individual and collective efforts in the Hemisphere with the aim of building mutual confidence and cooperation; and
The intention of member states to complete the negotiation of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) in 1999 and to conduct the first evaluation exercise in the year 2000,
RESOLVES:
1. To endorse the observations and recommendations made by the Permanent Council on the annual report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission and to transmit them to CICAD for consideration.
2. To instruct CICAD to continue its support to member states in the fight against drug production, trafficking, and abuse in the Hemisphere.
3. To express its satisfaction with the progress made by the Intergovernmental Working Group of CICAD responsible for designing the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM), pursuant to the mandate of the Second Summit of the Americas.
4. To encourage member states to conclude the negotiations on establishing the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism as quickly as possible.
5. To urge CICAD to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the first evaluation exercise takes place in the year 2000.
6. To urge member states to collaborate in the attempt to provide CICAD with the human and financial resources required for the establishment and operation of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
AG/RES. 1655 (XXIX-O/99)
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS BY THE INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL
COMMISSION ON THE STUDY OF THE ADVISABILITY OF
PREPARING A DRAFT INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION
TO COMBAT MONEY LAUNDERING
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Report of the Permanent
Council on the study of a Draft Inter-American Convention on Money Laundering
(CP/doc.3041/98);
The Final Report of the Meeting of the Group of Experts on Money Laundering of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October 1998 (CICAD/doc.990/98); and
The Final Report of the twenty-fifth regular session of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, held in Washington D.C., from May 3 to 7, 1999 (CICAD/doc.1018/99); and
CONSIDERING:
That, in resolution AG/RES. 1545 (XXVIII-O/98), “Study of the Advisability of Preparing a Draft Inter-American Convention to Combat Money Laundering,” the General Assembly reiterated to the CICAD Group of Experts that it should continue to examine, in coordination with the Executive Secretariat, and from an essentially technical perspective, the various national and international instruments in force on this subject and present a technical analysis providing a basis for study and decisions by the Working Group on Money Laundering of the Permanent Council; and
That CICAD, at its twenty-fifth regular session, having taken note of a report of the Secretariat on this matter as well as comments by some members of the CICAD Group of Experts on the Secretariat’s report and the interventions of a number of the members of CICAD, decided to request the Group of Experts to continue the technical analysis at its next meeting and to report thereon to CICAD at its twenty-sixth regular session, so that CICAD might present its report to the General Assembly through the Permanent Council of the Organization,
RESOLVES:
1. To thank the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) for the information presented with respect to the status of its work in relation to AG/RES. 1545 (XXVIII-O/98).
2. To extend the mandate of the Permanent Council Working Group on Money Laundering so that it can utilize the technical analysis prepared by CICAD in order to arrive at a decision on the advisability of preparing an inter-American convention on combating money laundering.
AG/RES. 1656 (XXIX-O/99)
AMENDMENTS TO THE MODEL REGULATIONS CONCERNING LAUNDERING OFFENCES
CONNECTED TO ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND RELATED OFFENCES OF THE
INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The recommendations and observations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization of American States (OAS), presented pursuant to Article 91.f of the Charter (AG/doc.3830/99), and in particular those on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CP/doc.3175/99); and
The final report of the meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Money Laundering, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 20 to 22, 1998, including proposed amendments to the Model Regulations Concerning Laundering Offences Connected to Illicit Drug Trafficking and Related Offences, approved by the Commission at its twenty-fifth regular session, held in Washington, D.C., from May 3 to 7, 1999 (CICAD/doc.1018/99); and
CONSIDERING:
That the CICAD Groups of Experts are open to all member states and thus provide an opportunity to share experiences, present initiatives, and promote cooperation;
That the above-mentioned CICAD Model Regulations are an important instrument in the development of a coordinated response to illicit drug trafficking and related offences;
That the said Model Regulations require the input of the experts of the member countries to remain dynamic, timely, and relevant; and
That the Commission has approved the above-mentioned Model Regulations,
RESOLVES:
1. To note with satisfaction the report of the meetings of the Group of Experts on Money Laundering of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD).
2. To adopt the amendments to CICAD’s Model Regulations Concerning Laundering Offences Connected to Illicit Drug Trafficking and Related Offences as approved by the Commission at its twenty-fifth regular session, held in Washington, D.C., from May 3 to 7, 1999 (CICAD/ doc.1018/99) and to recommend that the member states adopt them, where appropriate, as provided in their respective domestic legislation.
3. To urge the member states to give strong political support to CICAD’s Model Regulations and to provide institutional support for their appropriate application, pursuant to their domestic law.
AG/RES. 1657 (XXIX-O/99)
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN THE MEMBER STATES OF CICAD
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization of American States, presented pursuant to Article 91.f of the OAS Charter (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2) and, in particular, those on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) (CP/doc.3175/99); and
The final report of the Meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Alternative Development, held in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, from September 22 to 24, 1998;
REAFFIRMING its adherence
to the principles and purposes set forth by the OAS in the Inter-American
Program of Action of Rio de Janeiro against the Illicit Use and Production of
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Traffic Therein; the Declaration
and Program of Action of Ixtapa; the Inter-American Program of Quito: Comprehensive Education to Prevent Drug
Abuse; and the Anti-Drug Strategy in the Hemisphere, adopted by the General
Assembly of the OAS in Lima [AG/RES. 1458 (XXVII-O/97)], in June 1997;
CONSIDERING:
That the CICAD Groups of Experts are open to all member states and provide an opportunity to share experiences, put forward initiatives, and promote cooperation;
That hemispheric cooperation against the production, trafficking, and use of illicit drugs is governed by principles of international law, of shared responsibility, and by a balanced approach paying equal attention to the different manifestations of the drug problem;
The drug control initiatives contained in the Plan of Action of the First Summit of the Americas, held in Miami, in 1994, in the Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, and the activities undertaken by CICAD to implement them; and
RECOGNIZING the importance of horizontal cooperation as one of the useful instruments for fostering alternative development,
RESOLVES:
1. To note with satisfaction the final report of the Meeting of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) Group of Experts on Alternative Development, held in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, from September 22 to 24, 1998, and adopted by CICAD at its twenty-fifth regular session.
2. To urge international lending institutions to support joint and individual efforts of the states of the region in the area of alternative development.
3. To respect and welcome the support being given by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in cooperation with CICAD, to alternative development activities and programs in the region.
4. To support fully governments that have undertaken alternative development activities in their negotiations with the international financial community to enter into debt reduction operations in exchange for alternative development initiatives.
5. To underscore the importance of the conclusions and recommendations of the Group of Experts, urging member states and financial institutions, wherever possible and relevant, to consider implementing debt swap or debt-reduction operations in exchange for environmental protection and recovery initiatives in areas where alternative development programs are carried out, and to maintain commercial preferences for products or services provided through alternative development programs.
6. To express its appreciation for the offers made by Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru to share their experience with all interested countries in the Hemisphere, through technical assistance allowing this necessary exchange to be made.
7. To assign to the Executive Secretariat of CICAD the resources required to support the member states in formulating, implementing, and evaluating alternative development programs and activities in accordance with resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
AG/RES. 1658 (XXIX-O/99)
AMENDMENTS TO THE MODEL REGULATIONS TO CONTROL
CHEMICAL PRECURSORS AND CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES,
MACHINES AND MATERIALS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN
DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Observations and Recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the organs, agencies and entities of the Organization of American States (OAS), submitted in compliance with Article 91.f. of the Charter (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2), and in particular those relating to the Annual Report of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) (CP/doc.3175/99);
The Final Report of the meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts to Control Chemical Precursors and Chemical Substances held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, September 29-October 2, 1998 including proposals to amend the Model Regulations to Control Chemical Precursors and Chemical Substances, Machines and Materials, approved by the Commission at its twenty-fourth regular session, held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, October 26-30, 1998 (CICAD/doc.988/98); and
The Final Report of the twenty-fifth regular session of the Commission held in Washington, D.C., May 3-7, 1999 (CICAD/doc.1018/99); and
CONSIDERING:
That the CICAD Groups of Experts are open to all member countries, providing an opportunity to share experience, present initiatives, and promote cooperation;
That the above-mentioned Model Regulations of CICAD are an important instrument in the development of a coordinated response to illicit drug trafficking and related offenses;
That the said Model Regulations of CICAD depend upon the input and expertise of the experts of the member countries to keep them dynamic, timely, and relevant; and
That the Commission has approved the above-mentioned Model Regulations,
RESOLVES:
1. To note with satisfaction the report of the meetings of the Group of Experts of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) to Control Chemical Precursors and Chemical Substances and of the report of the twenty-fifth regular session of CICAD.
2. To adopt the amendments to CICAD’s Model Regulations to Control Chemical Precursors and Chemical Substances, Machines, and Materials approved by CICAD at its twenty-fourth regular session, held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, October 26-30, 1998 (CICAD/doc.988/98), and at its twenty-fifth regular session, held in Washington, D.C., May 3-7, 1999 (CICAD/doc.1018/99), and to recommend that the member states adopt them, when appropriate, according to their national law.
3. To urge member states to give strong political support to CICAD’s Model Regulations and provide institutional support for their appropriate application in keeping with national law.
AG/RES. 1659 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR AND FOLLOW-UP TO THE SUMMITS
OF THE AMERICAS INITIATIVES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management to the foreign ministers, presented in compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1534 (XXVIII-O/98) (AG/doc.3821/99);
RECALLING the Summit of the
Americas, in Miami; the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development, in
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; the Second Summit of the Americas, in
Santiago, Chile; and resolution AG/RES. 1534 (XXVIII-O/98), “Support for and Follow-up to the Summits of the
Americas Initiatives;”
CONSIDERING:
That, in resolution AG/RES. 1349 (XXV-O/95), the General Assembly set up a Special Committee of the Permanent Council on Inter-American Summits Management, open to all member states, to ensure effective, timely, and appropriate follow-up to the activities assigned to the Organization by the Summit of the Americas and to coordinate, if so decided, OAS preparation, participation, and follow-up with regard to future summits involving all member states in whose implementation and follow-up the OAS might be called upon to participate;
That, in resolutions AG/RES. 1377 (XXVI-O/96) and AG/RES. 1448 (XXVII-O/97), the General Assembly reaffirmed the mandate of the Special Committee and instructed it to submit a written progress report to the foreign ministers during the General Assembly on the implementation of those resolutions;
That the Second Summit of the Americas was held in Santiago, Chile, on April 18 and 19, 1998, and that the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere signed the Declaration of Santiago and the Plan of Action;
That
the Santiago Plan of Action establishes that “the Governments will bear primary
responsibility for implementation of the mandates of the Summit,” and that “in
accordance with Summit decisions, international organizations will have
responsibilities in implementing this process and, as appropriate, according to
Summit mandates, support will be provided by private sector organizations and
civil society";
That, also in the Santiago Plan of Action, the Heads of State and Government assigned various mandates to the OAS and instructed the OAS General Secretariat to act as a record-keeping mechanism (institutional memory of the process) and provide technical support to the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG); and
RECOGNIZING the importance of coordinated and efficient follow-up to the Santiago Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas so as to ensure timely and effective implementation of the initiatives entrusted to the OAS and other organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system by the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere,
RESOLVES:
1. To thank the Permanent Council for the report of its Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and to express its satisfaction with the important work carried out by that Special Committee in implementing resolution AG/RES. 1349 (XXV-O/95) and other resolutions on the subject.
2. To thank also the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization for the special support they provide in implementing the initiatives of the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas, held in Miami, of the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development, held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago; and to urge them to continue to implement the Plan of Action of Miami, the Plan of Action of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and the Plan of Action of Santiago, in accordance with the mandates of the Second Summit of the Americas.
3. To reaffirm the mandate assigned to the Permanent Council to coordinate, through its Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management, the activities assigned to the OAS by the Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in 1994, and by the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago in 1998.
4. To instruct the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to give top priority to carrying out the initiatives assigned to them by the General Assembly pursuant to the mandates of the Summits of the Americas and to provide regular progress reports on their implementation to the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management.
5. To instruct the General Secretariat, through its Office of Summit Follow-up, to receive and compile all the information on the initiatives assigned to the OAS by the Summits process and to provide this information, on a regular basis, to the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management.
6. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to provide technical support, through its Office of Summit Follow-up, to the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and to the Summit Implementation Review Group.
7. To recognize the important progress made by the General Secretariat, through its Office of Summit Follow-up, in preserving and disseminating the institutional memory of the process through the Summit of the Americas Information System.
8. To instruct the Permanent Council to submit a written progress report on the implementation of this resolution to the foreign ministers at the next regular session of the General Assembly.
AG/RES. 1660 (XXIX-O/99)
OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS[5]/
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (OEA/Ser.L/V/II.102/doc.6 rev.) and the presentation thereof by the Chair of the Commission, as well as the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CP/CAJP-1537/99); and
CONSIDERING:
That the member states of the Organization of American States have proclaimed in the Charter, as one of their principles, respect for the fundamental rights of the individual, without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;
That the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, established at the Fifth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held in Santiago, Chile in 1959, has as its principal function, pursuant to the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights, that of promoting the observance and protection of human rights;
That the Heads of State and Government stated in the Declaration of Principles of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, that "respect for and promotion of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a primary concern of our governments";
That the member states have reaffirmed the inextricable link between human rights, democracy, and development;
That the concepts of universality, indivisibility, and interdependence are principles enshrined in international instruments for the promotion and protection of human rights;
That the principles of good faith, legal certainty, and procedural equity are essential elements of the promotion and protection of human rights within the inter-American system, the ultimate purpose of which is the protection of human rights; and
That acceptance by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of voluntary contributions to fulfill both current and new mandates, initiatives, and proposals must not affect the priority attention that the Commission should give to all topics to which a rapporteur is assigned, financed under resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, in accordance with the General Standards,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and to thank the Commission for its presentation.
2. To urge the IACHR to continue to promote the observance and protection of the human rights in the terms set forth in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rights.
3. To recognize the Commission's efforts to that end; and to urge the member states to continue to assist and support the Commission and to provide it with the resources it needs in order to fulfill its functions, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
4. To express its recognition of the IACHR for its consultation with the member states of the Organization on the amendment of its regulations and to urge it to take into consideration the observations and suggestions transmitted to it.
5. To welcome the report of the Permanent Council regarding the observations and recommendations of the member states on the Annual Report of the IACHR and to transmit them to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
6. To encourage the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue its efforts to improve procedures for processing individual cases, particularly those relating to admissibility and requests for precautionary measures.
7. To encourage the IACHR to pursue efforts to ensure the processing of individual cases, their conclusion, and corresponding notification of the parties within reasonable periods of time.
8. To urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, upon request by the parties concerned, to attach to the reports referred to in Articles 50 and 51 of the American Convention on Human Rights the oral and written statements made during this stage of the processing of individual cases.
9. To urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue to accord equal attention and treatment to the topics to which a special rapporteur is assigned and to other topics proposed by the member states.
10. To note with satisfaction the increased use of the friendly settlement mechanism, urging the member states and the IACHR to continue, in a spirit of cooperation, resorting to this procedure.
11. To urge the member states that are not parties to the American Convention on Human Rights (“Pact of San José, Costa Rica”), the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (“Protocol of San Salvador”), the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty (“Protocol of Asunción”), and the following inter-American instruments for the promotion and protection of human rights: the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture; the Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons; and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women (“Convention of Belém do Pará”) to give special, prompt consideration to signing, ratifying, or acceding to them, as appropriate, in keeping with their constitutional precepts and domestic law, including those states that have denounced any of those instruments.
12.
To note with
satisfaction the willingness of the IACHR to strengthen dialogue with the
political organs of the Organization concerning various aspects related to the
work of that Commission.
13. To
request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue to report on
measures taken in response to the observations and recommendations presented by
the Permanent Council to the General Assembly.
14. To request the Permanent Council to report in due course to the General Assembly on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1661 (XXIX-O/99)
THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND CIVIL SOCIETY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECOGNIZING the increasingly important role of civil society organizations in public life in all member states of the Organization of American States;
ALSO RECOGNIZING the significant contribution of civil society organizations to the activities of the Organization of American States and its organs and related agencies throughout the inter-American system, and in specific technical cooperation projects;
HAVING SEEN the resolution of the Permanent Council on the status of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the OAS [CP/RES.704 (1129/97)], the report by the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Permanent Council on the status of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the OAS (CP/doc.2946/97) and the standards on cooperative relations between the Organization of American States and the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and other national and international organizations [AG/RES. 57 (I-O/71)];
RECALLING THAT, in the Plan of Action of the First Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in 1994, leaders declared that “A strong and diverse civil society, organized in various ways and sectors, including individuals, the private sector, labor, political parties, academics, and other non-governmental actors and organizations, gives depth and durability to democracy”;
ALSO RECALLING that the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas noted that the OAS could serve as a forum for the exchange of experiences and information on the formation of responsible and transparent, non-profit and other civil society organizations, and entrusted the Organization to promote appropriate programs to foster greater participation of civil society in public affairs;
RECOGNIZING that AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98) instructed the Permanent Council “to examine ways to increase the degree to which appropriate nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations may become more closely involved in, and contribute to, the activities of the Organization , and ways to implement the tasks entrusted to the OAS in the Santiago Plan of Action with respect to civil society”;
BEARING IN MIND that the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS has held substantive discussions on the implementation of AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98);
CONSIDERING that the General Assembly requested the Permanent Council to present a progress report on the implementation of AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98); and
BEARING IN MIND the progress made on the draft Guidelines for Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities, in particular those related to Chapters I, II, III, IV, and VI, attached to the progress report of the Permanent Council on the fulfillment of resolution AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98) (GETC/FORMOEA-101/99 rev. 3), prepared by the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS,
RESOLVES:
1. To welcome the progress report of the Permanent Council on the implementation of AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98).
2. To resolve to establish within the Permanent Council a Committee on Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities, composed of all the member states of the Organization.
3. To instruct the Permanent Council to prepare, by way of that committee, and bearing in mind the attachment to the report presented by the Permanent Council, guidelines for civil society participation in OAS activities, for adoption before December 31, 1999.
4. To thank the Secretary General for complying with the requests set out in resolution CP/RES. 704 (1129/97), in particular the preparation of a register of NGOs with which the OAS has relations.
5. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly on the implementation of this resolution at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1662 (XXIX-O/99)
CONSIDERATION OF THE SITUATION OF THE PERMANENT OBSERVERS
AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE COOPERATION ACTIVITIES
AND PROGRAMS OF THE ORGANIZATION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council (CP/doc.3825/99) on consideration of the situation of the permanent observers and their participation in the cooperation programs and activities of the Organization;
BEARING IN MIND that the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, has begun considering the possibility of establishing criteria governing all aspects of participation by those states in the cooperation activities and programs of the Organization, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1491 (XXVII-O/97);
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT resolution AG/RES. 1555 (XXVIII-O/98), in which the General Assembly considered the advisability of continuing the study of this important topic and resolved to instruct the Permanent Council to present a final report to the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session based on the study prepared by the General Secretariat pursuant to resolution CP/RES. 619 (978/94); and
CONSIDERING the advisability of concluding those studies as soon as possible and of obtaining, for these purposes, the opinion of the permanent observers on this subject,
RESOLVES:
1. To renew its request to the Permanent Council to continue analyzing the situation of the permanent observers and their participation in the cooperation activities and programs of the Organization, including the advisability of taking into account the situation of permanent observers who express particular interest in the activities of the Organization.
2. To instruct the General Secretariat, under the coordination of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs, to fulfill its mandate to conduct the studies requested in CP/RES. 619 (978/94) and resolution AG/RES. 1555 (XXVIII-O/98), and to report thereon before December 31, 1999.
3. To request the Permanent Council to make consultations, through the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, with a view to holding a special meeting in the second half of 1999, with the participation of the permanent observers to the Organization, in order to obtain their opinions and exchange points of view.
4. To take note of the implementation of, and to continue to implement, appropriate administrative measures to facilitate and make more effective the participation by the permanent observers in the different areas of the Organization’s work.
5. To request the Permanent Council to present a final report on this matter to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1663 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the international promotion of human rights in the inter-American system (CP/CAJP-1534/99), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1547 (XXVIII-O/98);
BEARING IN MIND that the member states of the Organization of American States have proclaimed in the Charter of the Organization, as one of its principles, respect for the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;
RECALLING that Article 106 of the OAS Charter provides that the “principal function” of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) “shall be to promote the observance and protection of human rights and to serve as a consultative organ of the Organization in these matters”;
CONSIDERING:
That, in the present context of the Hemisphere, where representative democracy is the norm, the international promotion of human rights is of vital importance and needs to be vigorously pursued in the inter-American system;
That the Heads of State and Government who participated in the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, affirmed, in the Santiago Declaration, that “respect for and promotion of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a primary concern of our governments”; and
That, in the Plan of Action of the aforementioned Summit of the Americas, the Heads of State and Government agreed to “strengthen the inter-American human rights system through concrete initiatives and measures which aim to reinforce its institutional structure and promote its links with national systems and regional entities that promote and protect human rights”;
RECALLING
that resolution AG/RES. 1489 (XXVII-O/97), “International Promotion of Human
Rights in the Inter-American System,” requested the IACHR to prepare, in
collaboration and/or consultation with other pertinent organs and entities, a
draft Inter-American Program for the International Promotion of Human Rights;
and that the IACHR complied with the above-mentioned resolution, presenting in
Chapter IV of its Annual Report the draft Inter-American Program for
International Promotion of Human Rights,
CONSIDERING:
That resolution AG/RES. 1547 (XXVIII-O/98) instructed the Permanent Council to begin its consideration of the draft program presented by the IACHR, taking into account the conclusions reached at the special meeting of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on the international promotion of human rights in the inter-American system, contained in resolution AG/RES. 1489 (XXVII-O/97), as well as the contributions of the competent organs, agencies, and entities of the system; and instructed it to adopt those new actions and initiatives contained in the draft that it deemed appropriate, until the program was adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session; and
That, through its Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, the Permanent Council requested member states, on October 9, 1998, and January 19, 1999, to convey their observations on the above-mentioned Program, in order to comply with the above-mentioned resolution AG/RES. 1547 (XXVIII-O/98),
RESOLVES:
1. To adopt the Inter-American Program for the Promotion of Human Rights, which was prepared by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and is attached as an appendix to this resolution.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to consider the various activities set forth in the Program, in the spirit and for the purposes set forth therein, and to take such new actions and initiatives as it finds appropriate for promoting human rights, on the basis of proposals submitted by the member states and the competent organs, agencies, and entities of the system.
3. To reiterate the relevance and importance of the conclusions of the Special Meeting of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs on international promotion of human rights in the inter-American system set forth in resolution AG/RES. 1489 (XXVII-O/97).
4. To request the Permanent Council to implement, in coordination with the competent organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, the measures contemplated in the program and those that might be adopted pursuant to paragraph 2, and to report to the General Assembly in due course.
5. To instruct the General Secretariat, in consultation with the member states, to support the efforts of the competent organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system, particularly the IACHR, to carry out the actions and initiatives cited in the preceding paragraph, without reducing its protection activities, and within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
6. To transmit this resolution to the IACHR.
7. To request the IACHR to inform the Permanent Council of progress made in implementing the Program.
APPENDIX
INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR THE PROMOTION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS
1. INTRODUCTION
In 1997, the General Assembly, in its resolution
“International Promotion of Human Rights in the Inter-American System” [AG/RES.
1489 (XXVII-O/97) of June 5, 1997], after welcoming the conclusions of the
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (which is dealt with further on)
resolved:
To
request the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to prepare, without reducing
its protection activities and in collaboration and/or consultation with other
pertinent organs and entities, a draft inter-American program for the
international promotion of human rights, to be submitted to the Permanent
Council for consideration before the twenty-eight regular session of the
General Assembly, a task that should be carried out within the allocated
resources approved in the program-budget and other resources.
The Commission, in consultation and coordination
with other organs and entities, prepared the present draft program. Taken into account for this purpose were the
valuable contributions of the governments of Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, and
Venezuela, made in response to a request by the Commission inviting
observations on the development of the program. Also taken into consideration were written remarks from the
governments of Argentina, Canada, United States, and Venezuela, provided to the Permanent Council’s
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (OEA/Ser.G.,CP/doc.2909/97), as
well as remarks made during the deliberations of those bodies on this
matter. This draft program was
considered and approved by the Commission at its 98th session, to be submitted
to the Permanent Council, in accordance with the request by the General
Assembly.
2. PROGRAM
GUIDELINES
This program will use as guidelines the essential
principles established by the modern doctrine and practice of human rights,
recognized by international instruments and by the inter-American system; in
particular, the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, and the
American Convention on Human Rights.
These program principles will guide the
development of activities already delineated, as well as the future
incorporation of new activities in the program. They will also provide the substantive framework for evaluating
the implementation of those activities, their substantive results, and
evaluation of the program’s achievements.
These essential principles are:
a. That
everyone is born free and equal, in dignity and in rights, and, being endowed
by nature with reason and conscience, should conduct themselves fraternally one
to another. It is the duty of the
individual so to conduct himself in relation to others that each and every one
may fully form and develop his personality.i
b. That
the essential human rights are not derived from the fact the individual is a
national of a certain state, but are based upon attributes of his human
personality.ii
c. That
juridical and political institutions, which regulate life in human society,
have as their principal aim the protection of the essential rights of man and
the creation of circumstances that will permit him or her to achieve spiritual
and material progress and attain happiness, without distinction as to race,
sex, language, or creed.iii Priority shall be given to the
protection of human rights and development of members of the weakest and more
vulnerable groups in society. Extreme poverty and social exclusion are a
violation against human dignity.iv
d. All
human rights, economic, social, cultural, civil and political, are universal,
indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. While the significance of national and regional
particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must
be borne in mind, it is the duty of the States, regardless of their political,
economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and
fundamental freedoms.v
e. That
representative democracy is the sole political system which guarantees respect
for human rights and the rule of law ; it safeguards cultural diversity,
pluralism, respect for the rights of minorities, and peace within and among
nations.vi
f. That
the right to development is an integral part of fundamental human rights, and
should be fulfilled so as to meet equitably the developmental and environmental
needs of present and future generations.
While development facilitates the enjoyment of human rights, the lack of
development may not be invoked to justify the abridgement of internationally
recognized human rights.vii
g. That
the peoples and states of the Americas have the responsibility to end racism,
intolerance and xenophobia, and
discrimination for reasons of race or gender.viii
h. That
Indigenous and Afro-American peoples of the Americas constitute an organized,
distinctive and integral segment of their population and are entitled to be
part of the national identities of the countries, and have a special role to play in strengthening the institutions
of the state and in establishing national unity based on democratic principles
and full respect to the human rights for all.ix
i. That
violence against women is an offense against human dignity, a violation of
human rights and a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations
between women and men.x That the child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities
and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically,
mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and
in conditions of freedom and dignity.xi
j. An
independent, impartial and effective administration of justice is a decisive
part of full enjoyment of human rights, of democracy and of sustainable
development.xii The institutions of the member States and their
agents, are the first and principal responsibles to respect, protect and defend
human rights, and to administer justice for their eventual violations.
Transparency and publicity of public actions are a requisite for a system respectful
of human rights and democratic.
k. That
international organs for promotion of the observance and defense of human
rights, and in particular the Inter-American Commission and Court of Human
Rights, act as mechanisms coadyuvant and complementary of the national action,
and the States have formally committed themselves to respect and to support
them in the fulfillment of their mandates.
l. Education
shall strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Education
in all its modalities shall include the subject of human rights and should
promote understanding, tolerance, peace and friendly relations between the
individuals, between the groups and between nations; as well as teach for
peaceful conflict resolution, and for understanding and realization of the
rights and duties of each person.xiii
3. PROGRAM’S
CONCEPTUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
In order to fulfill the General Assembly’s request
it is necessary to define the concept of the promotion of human rights,
as well as the institutional and functional framework of the Commission and
other organs and entities in regard to this issue. The Charter of the OAS and the Convention, it establishes that
the primary function of the Commission is to “promote the observance and
defense of human rights.” This is
confirmed by its historical practice of 38 years. That “promotion of observance and defense” can come about through
a) “protection”, i.e., in particular,
through the system of dealing with
individual cases by the Commission and the Court, with its
determinations of State responsibilities, and recommendations for redress; b)
through the “establishing of international standards”, via proposed
instruments, and the doctrine and jurisprudence of the system; c) the
investigation of general situations, and recommendations to States in this
regard; and d) activities involving education and dissemination of information.
“Protection” activities by means of the system of
individual cases, the establishing of international standards, and the
investigation of general situations and corresponding recommendations, are the
Commission’s primary mandate. These are
also the most effective and practical ways for the Commission to fulfill its
main function of “promoting the observance and defense of human rights.”
Additionally, the Commission is responsible for
making every possible effort to disseminate through other means (educational
means such as seminars, publications, etc.) information about the nature and
operation of the inter-American system of human rights. As is described further on, the Commission
has done and continues to do this with existing resources.
Lastly, as this program has attempted to reflect,
the Commission can help to mobilize all of the resources and abilities of the
various members, organs and entities of OAS to collaborate in other ways and
through other means in the task of “fostering an awareness of human rights in
the peoples of the Americas.”
Primary Functions of the Commission. “Protection and defense”
The Convention and its rules of procedure
establish the overriding importance of the Commission’s role in “promoting
observance and defense” in prescribing, as mechanisms of paramount importance
in carrying this out, the system of “protection”, through the processing of
individual communications, the system for monitoring and reporting on general
situations, mechanisms for precautionary and
preventive measures, and recommendations and studies carried out by the
Organization and its members.
“Protection and defense” are vitally important
functions in the Convention and in the practical reality of the Americas and
the inter-American system. As a matter
of fact protection and defense have promoted human rights, as shown by the thousands
of cases submitted to the system by persons and institutions of all levels and
from every social and geographic sector.
This is demonstrated by the coverage given by the various media to
decisions and actions of the Commission and of the Court. This is also proved by the impact and mobilizing
of civil society and state organs as a result of reports of the Commission and
its on-site visits.
Establishing of international standards is central to promoting
observance and protection of human rights
As is indicated by the Convention and by the
practice of the system, activities for “establishing standards of international
human rights law” are a principal function and primary form of promoting the
observance and protection of human rights.
The General Assembly has understood this in
requesting that the Commission and other organs of the OAS cooperate in
preparing new conventions, protocols, and declarations in the area of human
rights, which have afterwards been adopted and ratified, and which are fully a
part of the human rights which are in effect in the region – in some cases
carrying juridical power, having been included as an integral part of the
constitutions of the countries, in others having force through international
commitments.xiv
By the same token, jurisprudence, doctrine, and the
interpretation of international instruments carried out by the Court and the
Commission further promote the observance and protection of human rights
through the establishing of “standards”.
The best indicator of this is their growing inclusion in national
jurisprudence and their impact on national legislative activity.
Promotion of human rights
in a broad sense also includes direct education and Dissemination
“Promotion”, considered in a broad sense, includes
other elements (basically, activities related to education, training, and
dissemination of information) which go beyond the concept of promotion in a
strict sense, brought about by protection and the establishing of international
standards.
It is activities of this type, related to
education and the dissemination of information, that the Permanent Council and
the Assembly were referring to in speaking of “promoting human rights”, arising
from the conclusions and recommendations of the Special Session of the
Permanent Council’s Juridical and Political Committee in March of 1997
regarding Point 1, “International Promotion of Human Rights in the
Inter-American System”, restated by the General Assembly in its resolution,
which can be summarized as follows:
·
That in the current
context of representative democracy, regional promotion should be stimulated,
in order to foster a culture of tolerance, peace and development; and that the
ratification and success of inter-American instruments and jurisdictions
contribute to this.
·
That the promotion
and protection of human rights interact and are mutually reinforcing, that
regional efforts and efforts carried out internally are complementary, and that
in terms of promotion the latter are of paramount importance.
·
That the IACHR
should seek a “more intense push for and proper handling of” the job of
promotion, without decreasing protection activities.
·
That education,
dissemination of information, the offering of grants, internships, and exchange
of experiences among the states are effective means of promotion, using all
possible technological mediums. That in
terms of content, all human rights, guarantees, and national and international
procedures, as well as IACHR reports
and jurisprudence of the Court, should be included.
·
That the priority
should be the most vulnerable sectors of the public, as well as law enforcement
forces and public opinion leaders.
·
That according to
the inter-American instruments, the IACHR has the primary responsibility for
the task of promoting observance and defense at a regional level. That it will carry out this mission in
coordination with other competent OAS organs, and with other organs of the
inter-American system, governmental organs, and others (for example, the IIHR).
In the opinion of the Commission, this draft
should be viewed in accordance with the conceptual explanation given above, in
the sense that protection is the primary function of the IACHR, as its
mandate establishes, and that it should deal with informational and educational
promotion without distracting resources or importance from its protection
activities. As a necessary
corollary, and as the General Assembly resolution indicates, other organs of
the inter-American system, states organs, NGOs, etc., should coordinate their
action in this respect, as a premise of the inter-American program to be
prepared.
The
Commission and other inter-American and national organs and entities are
already conducting activities for the educational promotion of human rights
The countries and their public and
private institutions, and the organs of the inter-American system of
protection, as well as other private organizations and notably the
Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIHR), are carrying out, and have
increased in recent years, the job of promotion, and especially of “education
and dissemination of information”, as
indicated in what follows.
4. CURRENT ACTIVITIES CONSISTENT WITH THE PROGRAM
Currently,
valuable efforts in education and dissemination of information on human rights
are being developed in the countries and in inter-American organizations of the
region, covering various elements which this program should address and, where
appropriate, include and aim to expand and strengthen.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, within its limited resources, has also increasingly expanded its
activities in “education and dissemination of information” aimed at making
known, in a technical way, the nature, mechanisms and jurisprudence of the
inter-American system.
To
summarize, in the biennium 1996-1997, for example, the Commission has carried
out:
·
National seminars
on the inter-American system (in
Brazil, February of 1997; in Paraguay, also in 1997) with the assistance of
several hundred professionals and officials of those countries and of countries
that were invited to attend.
·
The Commissioners meet
regularly with the highest-level judicial and government authorities, in
relation to inter-American human rights guidelines and their incorporation in
national jurisprudence.
·
The Commissioners,
representing the Commission, and officials and attorneys of the Executive
Secretariat participated as speakers in numerous technical and academic
meetings, taught university courses, and training seminars and
courses of various sorts.
·
The Secretariat
continued the “Rómulo Gallegos” fellowships program (with four grants in
1995-96 and six in 96-97, all for young attorneys in the region).
·
In 1996-97 the
Commission carried out activities for educational promotion and
dissemination of information related to the preparation of the “Proposed
American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” fostering
meetings for consultation and dissemination of information in fifteen countries
in the region, and three regional meetings.
For this, it coordinated with other systems and inter-American organs
(UPD, III, IDB, Indigenous Fund, and the IIHR, among others) as well as state
and nongovernmental organs.
·
The Commission’s publications
are without doubt a tool for education and dissemination of information. In the last biennium, the Commission
published its Annual Reports in four languages, as well as the Special Reports
on Brazil, Ecuador, and Haiti; this last one was also published in Creole.
·
It also published
the Basic Documents in the four languages; a pamphlet on “How to submit
formal complaints to the inter-American system”, and several reference posters.
·
With outside
cooperation, the Commission supports the publication of the Inter-American
Human Rights Yearbook, based on an arrangement with Nijhoff Publishers,
Holland.
·
Both the
Commissioners and the members of the Executive Secretariat published numerous
articles on technical subjects and dissemination of information
regarding human rights.
·
The Commission also
uses electronic media for publishing and disseminating its public
documents. All of the Annual Reports,
other public documents and reports of the Commission are in the process of
being placed electronically on a “site” which the Commission itself has on the
Internet, accessible directly or through OAS’s “home page”.
·
The Secretariat is
continually carrying out working meetings with delegations of the member
countries wishing to familiarize themselves with the system and its
procedures. In this period, delegations
of (among others) judges and judicial
and police officials from Guatemala and Brazil, as well as from other
countries, have been received; also, numerous delegations of indigenous leaders
from several countries, and international experts.
·
The Commission
collaborates with American Human Rights Competition (Moot Court) begun
in 1996, organized by the Washington College of Law, American University, in
which nearly fifty teams from universities throughout the continent
participate. Providing, in addition,
assistance to other universities of the region wishing to replicate this
activity in their countries.
The Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (headquartered in San José, Costa Rica) has a
mandate based on teaching, research, and promotion of human rights and all
related disciplines, with a multi-disciplinary emphasis that should take into
account the needs and problems of Latin America.
To
achieve these ends, the Institute has conducted, is carrying out, and has
planned, activities such as:
·
conferences,
colloquia, courses, round tables, and seminars.
·
research programs in
human rights, both at the institutional level as well as with the cooperation
of national or international institutions.
·
Periodic
publications in print and electronic (CD-ROM) form.
·
shares
responsibility for the Library jointly with the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights.
·
promotes and reports
on human rights progress in Latin America through its Documentation Center.
·
Advises governmental
and civil entities on creating national programs to promote human rights.
In the biennium 96-97 the IIHR has carried out
numerous projects through its different areas (education, public institutions,
CAPEL for electoral development and observation, and civil society).
Other OAS organs, in particular the Inter-American
Commission of Women (CIM), and the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD),
have carried out, in this biennium, activities to promote human rights, within
their specific programs. By way of
example, CIM conducted seminars in Guatemala in August of 1997 on “Women and
the Culture of Peace”; in Caracas in September on “Violence Against Women and
the Family”.
Many current programs of the Unit for Promotion
of Democracy serve to promote and strengthen respect for human rights and
humanitarian goals:
·
Monitoring elections
and technical assistance: The OAS has monitored some 40 elections since 1989,
and provides technical assistance to improve electoral administration and civic
participation.
·
Strengthening
democratic institutions: The UPD supports efforts to strengthen legislative
bodies, to teach democratic values and practices in schools, and to further
develop municipal government and citizen participation at the local level. The
UPD also supported a “human rights and democracy” course for Peruvian military
and civilians.
·
Peace building and
national reconciliation activities: In Nicaragua, participated in the
supervision of the demobilization of former combatants and supported their
social reintegration . At the Special Mission to Suriname (1992 to 2000)
monitored the peace process, the demobilization of combatants and demining. In
Haiti, participated in the establishment of a human rights observation mission
in 1992, later developed into the OAS/UN International Civilian Mission,
still active in Haiti today. The UPD assistance to the Guatemalan peace process
includes support for the reincorporation of former combatants into society; an
innovative conflict prevention and resolution initiative; and legislative and
electoral reform programs related to the implementation of the peace accords.
·
Removing land
mines: Since 1995, the UPD and the
Inter-American Defense Board have been undertaking a major regional program to
assist Central American countries in eliminating land mines in Costa Rica,
Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
·
Publications and
information exchange: Along with
Georgetown University and other partners, supports the Political Database of
the Americas, a comprehensive compilation of the constitutions, electoral laws
and other legislation of the Americas at the Internet. In collaboration with the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights, organized
two Democratic Fora, one in “Celebration of International Human Rights
Day” (1995), and the other on “Democracy and Indigenous Rights” (1996). The IACHR and the UPD also collaborated in
the organization of two regional meetings of the “Consultation on the draft
American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” held Guatemala and
Ecuador in 1996. The UPD regularly publishes reports from its electoral
missions, Democratic Forums and a quarterly newsletter.
The guidelines established for member countries,
for the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), have not
included specifically the subject of “Human Rights” in its Strategic Plan now
in effect. Nevertheless, in its
activities related to the promotion of democracy in the educational and
cultural spheres, activities connected with the practice of human rights is
naturally included. Along these lines,
CIDI has indicated that if countries have interest and are in agreement, and
following its normal systems for decision-making and implementation, it will
set up activities on this subject, relying on special or regular funding, as
the case may be.
Bearing in mind the importance of recognizing
human rights in reference to indigenous peoples, this program should also
consider, in its development process, coordination with the activities planned
by the Inter-American Indian Institute in its Inter-American Indigenous
Cooperation Program, which was formed in response to the demand by these
peoples, communities, and organizations, activities whose content is the
defense of human rights. Included in
these activities planned for the coming years, and which could be incorporated
in this program, are the following:
·
Permanent Forum
of Indigenous Peoples within OAS
(The “Human Rights” issue is a fundamental part of the forums planned for the
period 1998-2001).
·
Forum of
Indigenous Women of the Americas
·
Indigenous
Communication Network of the
Americas
·
“Manuel Gamio” Information
and Documentation Center for
Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.
·
Graduate and
postgraduate training Grants for strengthening indigenous leadership.
Among other advances, national public
institutions have introduced cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects
of human rights as part of the curricula at many levels of formal education,
though this is still a new area. There
already exist in the region, and in the world, training programs, materials,
and manuals which can be used to advantage.
The armed forces and security forces are introducing those elements as
part of their training and practice.
Preparation of the National Human Rights Plans by countries has
also provided an opportunity to carry out numerous activities to promote
thought and education on the subject.
Many civil society
initiatives–especially those in the most vulnerable sectors--are also designed
to provide training in an awareness and the defense of human rights.
5. THE
THREE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM
A. REINFORCING
THE FUNCTION OF PROTECTION AND DEFENSE, BY DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ABOUT THE
NORMS AND PROCEDURES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
As indicated in the
Charter of the OAS and in the American Convention on Human Rights, “promoting
observance and defense” constitute the Commission’s primary function. Consequently, it will focus its
participation strictly on this objective of the Inter-American Program for the
Promotion of Human Rights, disseminating and conducting training and analysis
activities on inter-American norms and on the system’s procedures.
B. STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AND PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS
The program should
provide the means for national institutions responsible for protecting and
promoting human rights to improve their capabilities for action and
protection. This second objective
includes educating state institutions and their members to act with strict
respect for human rights.
C. EDUCATING THE ENTIRE POPULATION AND, IN
PARTICULAR, VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE HEMISPHERE, ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The program should look to reinforcing the task
carried out by international and national organizations to create an awareness
and knowledge of human rights and on a culture of tolerance in different
sectors of the population and, above all, those most vulnerable and the new
generations.
6. THE PROGRAM’S EXECUTING AGENCIES
Executing agencies of this program will be the
IACHR and other inter-American and national organs, both public and private.
The inclusion in this program of an institution as
the executor of or collaborator in an activity, whether that activity is
currently in execution or is proposed for the future, will be done with full
respect for, and with the understanding that that inclusion shall not infringe
in any way on the autonomy and decision-making mechanisms of the various
institutions mentioned, including the Commission. In that same sense, the activities conducted within the framework
of this program therefore shall be planned, negotiated, implemented, and
evaluated according to the normal procedures dictated by the legal instruments
and practices of the institutions involved.
This includes both international and national, as well as governmental
and state and nongovernmental institutions and entities.
Nature
of the activities of the program’s various executing agencies:
With regard to the IACHR
In terms of content, the IACHR will focus
its activities in this program on promoting the inter-American system, its
instruments, procedures, and jurisprudence.
In relation to those receiving the benefits of the program, the
IACHR understands that its efforts should be directed, in the state sector,
toward the areas most directly connected with its activity (officials dealing
with provincial government, domestic and foreign relations; members of the
judicial branch; ombudsmen); and in civil society, toward officials of
nongovernmental organizations and those who defend human rights in general.
In terms of the methodology to be used in
the program’s activities, that which the IACHR develops should be in the
direction of technical education; i.e., it should center on the training of
human resources in understanding and implementation of the inter-American
instruments, and on the preparation of materials for disseminating information
on the system’s regulations and standards.
Both in content and in the
defining of techniques and strategies for activities within its purview, the
IACHR should act with the same autonomy given to it and required of it by the
Charter of the OAS, its Statute and the American Convention, and in such a way
that the activities which may be carried out within this program complement and
promote its central activities, in other words, “without diminishing protection
activities”.
Coordination with other agencies and entities
The General Assembly resolution requests that the
inter-American program be developed "in coordination with other competent
OAS bodies and in cooperation with the agencies and entities of the
inter-American system as well as the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights
and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and institutions.”
[AG/RES. 1489 (XXVII/O-97) par. 2.11].
As mentioned earlier, these entities, and in
particular the IIHR, the III, CIM, the UPD, and numerous national entities, are
already carrying out programs and activities clearly aimed at the objectives of
this program. Their participation shall
be in accordance with their rules, their abilities, resources, priorities and
their own characteristics.
7. THE
THREE PROGRAM AREAS
In line with the objectives mentioned previously,
the program will be subdivided in three broad areas which, in turn, will
comprise sub-programs and specific activities.
These three areas will be:
1) an area designed for activities
aimed strictly at disseminating information on inter-American norms and the
system’s mechanisms, as well as training in these topics; 2) an area designed to strengthen national
institutions, both state and private, concerned with respect for and defense of
human rights; 3) an area dealing with
education, spreading and disseminating information on the human rights subject
and its practices.
The Commission will focus its action in the first
of these areas, as well as elements of the second area, to the extent that they
have a direct relation to the norms and mechanisms of the system; in both
cases, according to its resources and “without diminishing its protection
activity.” Other national and
inter-American agencies and entities, as each case warrants, will primarily
have a role in the second and third areas, participating also in the activities
of dissemination and training on regulations and mechanisms of the
inter-American system (1st area).
I. AREA
ON NORMS AND MECHANISMS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
General Objective of the Area: Provide
information and training on the norms and mechanisms of the inter-American
system, in particular its system of claims and individual cases, procedures of
the Commission and of the Inter-American Court, its jurisprudence and
decision-making process; the content and nature of its recommendations and
decisions; the roles and powers of the system’s various participants; its
actions in developing new international standards; and analysis of its
capabilities and limitations. The
public receiving the benefits of this program will be those in both the public
sector and civil society who, because of their job or their situation, have the
greatest need for dealing with the system or applying its standards and doctrine.
1. Program
of courses and seminars on regulations and mechanisms of the inter-American
system
a. IACHR seminar on the inter-American
human rights system
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IACHR
Objective:
To train state officials with responsibilities in this area, as well as
defenders of human rights from nongovernmental organizations, on the nature and
operation of the system, and familiarize them with its basic jurisprudence.
Characteristics:
Intensive advanced seminar for judges and attorneys. Duration 2 to 3 days. The different powers of the Commission are
analyzed, and in particular the system of individual cases, their handling
before the Commission and before the inter-American Court. Already carried out in Brazil, Argentina,
and Paraguay.
Funding:
Relying on resources from its regular budget, the Commission provides
for the holding of the seminar twice per year, covering the costs of travel and
lodging for teachers and support personnel.
The country acting as headquarters, where the seminar takes place, must
cover additional costs.
b. Annual IACHR course on the
inter-American system
(New
activity)
Executing organ: IACHR
Objective:
To improve jurists, judges, and state officials in the management and
jurisprudence of the organs of the inter-American system, and serve as a
seminar for reflection on legal and substantive issues of the inter-American
system’s regulations, and on the practices of its protective organs.
In a way similar to the seminar (see 1.a) the
course would be aimed at professionals and state officials, and would include a
more in-depth analysis. It would be
conducted in Washington, D.C., for a period of one week, once per year. The course would be restricted to 30 to 50
participants.
The participants will be selected by IACHR, with
50% reserved for candidates submitted by the states, and the remainder chosen
from among candidates whose application is submitted directly.
Estimated Cost: $200,000.
(Requires additional funding)
c. Annual IACHR conference with
high-level judicial magistrates of the Americas
(New activity)
Executing organ:
IACHR with support from the supreme court or judicial organ of the
country where the conference is headquartered.
Objective:
Bring together once per year for two days members of the Commission and
high-level judicial magistrates (including supreme court, constitutional
courts, appeals courts, military judges, defenders of the people) to analyze
the juridical and practical framework for applying the inter-American human
rights instruments in domestic jurisprudential practice.
Funding:
Commissioners’ travel expenses the responsibility of the regular IACHR
budget. Remaining expenses that of the
judicial agency of each and/or the host country.
d. IACHR/CARICOM
seminar to familiarize ombudsmen of the English-speaking Caribbean with the
inter-American system
(New
activity)
Executing organ: IACHR with the cooperation of CARICOM
Objectives:
As became evident in the meeting of ombudsmen of the English- speaking
Caribbean (Antigua, March of 1998), there is an interest, on the part of the
public defenders of human rights referred to, in gaining a knowledge of the
system’s norms and mechanisms, an interest that this proposed seminar of a day
and a half would attempt to fulfill. An
additional objective is to facilitate reciprocal communication on jurisprudence
and situations in the Caribbean for increasing people’s knowledge about the
Commission.
Funding:
The IACHR could cover with the regular budget the participation of
commissioners and specialists, and the host country or organization would cover
remaining costs.
e. Seminar
on the Future of the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights
(New
activity)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Objectives:
Promote constructive dialogue in different inter-American forums on
proposed revision and reform of the operation of the Inter-American System for
the Protection of Human Rights.
Characteristics: Training course aimed at different people
acting within various work areas related to the inter-American system. This will be conducted in October of 1998.
Funding:
IIHR’s regular budget
f. Project
involving regional or subregional workshops on the inter-American system
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objective:
Familiarize the community of attorneys and magistrates of the countries
with the inter-American system, so that they gain a better knowledge of it and
debate its future, as well as incorporating decisions and sentences made by
organs of domestic law.
Funding:
IIHR’s regular budget and special contributions.
2. Program of fellowships and internships
related to the inter-American system
a. IACHR “Rómulo Gallegos” fellowship
program
(In
execution)
Executing organ:
IACHR with the administrative cooperation of OAS’s Department of
Fellowships.
Objectives:
It has offered, since 1991, the opportunity for new attorneys from the
OAS member states to gain familiarity with the activities of the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights.
Characteristics:
Consists of internships of ten months at the headquarters of the
Executive Secretariat, for young lawyers, selected by the Commission in an open
competition. The work program
includes: a) acting as intern in the tasks of the Commission’s Executive
Secretariat, under the supervision of its specialists during the period of the
grant; b) requires commitment to giving
a course on the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights in the
year following the end of the grant at an institution in the grantee’s
country. Affiliation with the bar
association or relevant authority. The
grantee shall submit a report at the end of the grant period.
Requirements:
a) must be a graduate in law at
an officially accredited university; b) must be registered as an attorney
with the courts or the appropriate bar association; c) must have demonstrated
professional interest in the legal area of human rights; d) must be
bilingual in English and Spanish; e) must have received his or her diploma not
more than five years prior to the grant; f) must be a citizen of an OAS member
state; g) must submit a written essay on a human rights topic.
Benefits:
The IACHR provides a total of US$18,000 to each fellow for the period
covered by the internship grant; round-trip ticket from the country of origin,
and health insurance.
Funding:
The IACHR offers three grants and obtains external funding for
additional grantees. In 1997-98, five
grants were given, three using regular IACHR funds and the other two using funding
from other institutions.
b. IACHR internship program
(In execution)
Executing organ:
IACHR, within the Internship Program of OAS.
Program objectives: Familiarize young postgraduate students of universities in the
region with the theory and practice of human rights and of the Commission, as
well as with the general operation of OAS.
Characteristics:
This is a program which has been carried out over the last decade,
comprising short internships for postgraduate students with degrees in law to
be carried out at the Commission’s Executive Secretariat, working under the
direct supervision of specialists. They
also participate in the OAS internship program’s general activities. The interns do not receive any funding from
the Organization, although they may be supported by outside institutions. Duration:
two to four months.
Selection: three times per
year. Number of internships: varying between 3 and 5 quarterly.
Funding:
No special funding required.
3. Program of publications and dissemination
of information on the inter-American human rights system
a. Regular publications of the IACHR
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IACHR
Objective:
To record and publicly disseminate the decisions and reports of the
Commission. Currently, the Commission
distributes its publications to hundreds of state entities, universities, NGOs,
and experts through the mail.
Systematic development of a program for sending material electronically,
via e-mail, is also being proposed, in order to make distribution less
expensive, faster, and more extensive.
Characteristics:
The IACHR currently publishes and regularly distributes documents which
include its reports and basic documents.
These documents include the Annual Report, the Special Reports on the
human rights situation in given countries, the updated basic documents of the
Inter-American Human Rights System, and on special occasions, studies,
research, and special reports. It will
also include, starting in 1998-1999, the “Annual Report on Freedom of Expression
in the Americas”. These are published
in the four working languages and are distributed to a mailing list of more
than a thousand recipients (universities, governmental and judicial organs,
associations, experts, human rights organizations, and the press). In special cases, these are also published
in the traditional language of the population to which the report refers (in
Creole for Haiti; in Miskito for the Nicaraguan people, for example).
Funding:
Preparation, translation, publication and distribution of these
documents are carried out with funds from the regular budget for the
publication of decisions and documents of the IACHR through a)
Annual Reports; b) special
reports; c) updated basic documents.
b. Inter-American Human Rights Yearbook
(In
execution)
Executing
organ: IACHR, with Nijhoff Publishers,
Holland.
Published currently, it includes a summary of all
of the system’s decisions and documents.
Funding:
The publisher is in charge of publication, with contributing funds from
the regular budget of IACHR in exchange for issues of the publication.
c. Manual
for journalists specializing in the handling of news on cases and proceedings
of the inter-American system
(New
activity)
Executing
organ: IACHR
Objective:
This program would be conducted with the aim of achieving greater
journalistic accuracy and clarity on activities of the inter-American
system. In principle, it would consist
of a small manual for journalists to facilitate their work and avoid their
being used as a vehicle for erroneous news which could affect the prestige of
their medium and of the system. It will
be supplemented, in the future, by a specialized course.
Funding:
Requires additional funding.
Estimate of cost: performance
contract for the preparation of the manual and its publication in four
languages: $40,000.
d. Program for public electronic access
to the document base of the IACHR
(In
execution)
Executive organ: CIDH
Objective:
Make accessible via the Internet the reports and other public documents
of the Commission and facilitate the search for jurisprudence in the system.
Characteristics:
Electronic site for the Commission on the Internet where all the
documents published by the Commission can be consulted. It is already in operation, containing the
annual reports since 1990, and the special reports published in that period, to
which new documents are being added as they are published. The document base will be supplemented in 1998-99
with documents prior to 1990, and will be connected with supplementary
databases of the Washington School of Law, American University, and the
Inter-American Court.
The IACHR site also has the ability to allow
keyword searches, as well as direct correspondence with the Commission; it also
provides links to other selected sites, in particular the OAS home page, where
the system’s legal instruments, among others, are included. A direct link with the site for the Court
and with IIHR are also anticipated.
e. Program
for electronic access and for a guide to procedures to follow in dealing with
the inter-American human rights system, containing its jurisprudence and basic
doctrine, as well as those of the European and United Nations systems
(Proposal
for new activity)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Objective:
Make available to potential claimants and officials a tool that will
serve as a practical guide for participation before the enforcement organs, and
to facilitate their professional job at the domestic headquarters.
Characteristics:
Systematized and updated information on the instruments and mechanisms
for the protection of human rights, which will be included in IIHR’s electronic
site. Also, the updating of a compact
disk which contains, in addition, information on the domestic law of the
American countries, and other international instruments.
Funding:
Regular budget of IIHR
f. Project for disseminating the IIHR
book, “The Future of the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human
Rights”
(In execution)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Objective:
To distribute this book, which was published in March of 1998 by the
IIHR with contributions from the main experts (including present and former
members and officials of IIHR), among users of the system, diplomats, officials
of organizations, etc., as a contribution to the debate on possible reform of
the system.
Funding:
Regular budget of IIHR
g. IIHR
Magazine (Nos. 27 and 28)
(In execution)
Executing
organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Provide information on the work of institutions connected with the
inter-American human rights system, such as the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Disseminate information about the doctrine
and mechanisms of the inter-American human rights system.
Characteristics: These are regular publications, published
every six months.
Funding: IIHR’s regular budget
General
objective of Area: Strengthen national
institutions (human rights offices of different ministries, and of defenders of
the people, attorney general’s office, organs that oversee the security forces,
judicial branch, schools of law, training schools for the armed forces and
security forces, legal defense and human rights agencies, etc.) and their
members, on general subjects of human rights and of procedures for resolving
judicial and extrajudicial conflicts at
the domestic and international level.
1. Program
for horizontal cooperation in strengthening national institutions
a. OAS-IACHR program for horizontal
cooperation on human rights
(New
activity)
Executing organ:
OAS Fellowships Department, with technical advice from the IACHR.
Characteristics:
Program of exchange between national organizations, for training or
assistance. For example, the Human
Rights Commission or similar institutions and a particular country could fund
internships for officials of other national commissions or similar institution
and in this way different institutions could offer or request that cooperation
through the existing mechanism of horizontal cooperation at OAS.
Funding:
Requires special funding, by the entities participating in the exchange
(whether as sponsor or as recipient).
b. Activities
for training and strengthening of national human rights institutions (New
activity)
Executing organ:
Tentatively the IIHR, with the concurrence of III and CIM.
To be defined according to the interest of the
countries and the abilities of the executing institutions. In principle, it could contain different
projects:
·
Training in
investigation techniques on individual cases or issues, at both the national
and international level.
·
Training in specific
subject areas of human rights: indigenous rights, gender rights, rights of
minorities.
Operation and funding: If agreed upon by IIHR, it would become part of its system of
programming and of requesting countries’ participation. On this basis, a working plan and priorities
would be developed, as well as seeking funds for financing it.
In this respect, CIM, together with two agencies
(one from the United Nations, the other being the Center for Criminal Policy
and Penal Reform) will promote a project for judicial training schools. The project’s objective will be to develop
courses for those schools, aimed at strengthening respect for human rights and
contributing to the prevention and eradication of violence against women.
Funding:
Will require special funding.
2. IIHR
program of courses and seminars to strengthen national institutions
a. Annual Inter-American meeting for
government experts
(New
activity)
Executing organ:
On a rotating basis, one of the National Human Rights Councils (or
similar entity) of the participant countries, under the sponsorship of the
IACHR.
Objective:
Foster exchange of initiatives on human rights issues between the
delegates of governmental entities directly responsible for promoting and
disseminating information about human rights in each of the countries. The meeting will allow for disseminating
information about various promotional projects that the states are developing,
and provide ample opportunity to develop new types of cooperation among the
participants. The meeting could become
a forum in which the various projects to promote human rights are presented,
for the purpose of debating their advantages, drawbacks, and results, with a
view to identifying which projects are most effective in promoting respect for
and defense of human rights, so that they can also be developed in other
countries in the region.
Funding: Will require special funding.
b. Annual IIHR interdisciplinary course
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
The first Interdisciplinary Course on Human Rights
was conducted three years after the institute was created, in 1983, and has
come to represent the main forum of this type in Latin America.
After it was held, and after confirming the
interest of Latin Americans in participating, the necessity was seen for making
the course an annual and permanent activity of IIHR, with a view to promoting human
rights through the various organizations that work in this field, an initiative
that has come to be IIHR’s most important one.
With this aim, the course was designed to identify
certain needs of the region related to the promotion of human rights, make
possible the exchange of experiences among the participants, make known the
work carried out by IIHR in this field, and establish cooperative links among
the former students of IIHR’s interdisciplinary courses, in order to facilitate
the development of national programs.
The general objectives of the course
are:
·
To promote the
doctrine of human rights in the American hemisphere, with the aim of supporting
democratic processes in the region through a unique interdisciplinary and
intersectoral setting.
·
To collaborate on
the consolidation of democracy in Latin America through education on human
rights.
·
To strengthen Latin
American civil society, training its representatives and promoting links
between them and the IIHR.
The activity plans to train 120 persons who in
turn become, in a multiplicative way, agents. Thus, elements of gender,
proportionality in terms of the different sectors of society, as well as
profession, the region the person comes from, and work area, are taken into
account. As a result of this,
representatives from government institutions, nongovernmental organizations,
international organizations, universities, officials from the judicial branch,
members from the area of women, indigenous peoples, handicapped, human rights
activists, and educators are chosen.
The course lasts two weeks, and methodologies such
as conferences, round tables, workshops, case studies, areas of special
emphasis, and optional activities, are used.
In the course of its fifteen consecutive runnings,
1782 people have been trained, and the demand keeps increasing. In 1997, 868 applications were received,
among which 112 participants were selected.
Funding: Regular IIHR budget and special
contributions.
c. Specialized regional courses on
human rights
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
As a way of channeling the large number of
applications received for the interdisciplinary course, it was thought
necessary to set up an annual
specialized regional course which would have the same objectives as the interdisciplinary
course, but emphasizing the needs of the region of Latin America being dealt
with.
Starting with the first specialized course on
human rights, there has been invaluable support from the European
Commission. This first activity was
conducted in Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia, in 1993, for the Andes region. It included participants from Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
In 1994, the second specialized course was
conducted for participants from the Southern Cone, i.e., Argentina, Chile,
Paraguay, and Uruguay, with headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
For 1995, the specialized regional course was
devoted entirely to Brazil, for two basic reasons: first, because of the size of the country, in order to allow
participants from the various regions to attend, and from the two distinct
sectors of the society; and second, for language reasons. The proposal was welcomed by the University
of Brasilia and the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, who were counterparts in the
project. Other institutions that supported the development of the course
were: the International Committee of
the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the
Organization of American States, the National Council for Scientific and
Technological Development, and the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic.
In 1996, the course was devoted to the countries
of Mexico and Central America, which make up a region united both historically
and culturally. On this occasion, the
offer to act as headquarters for the activity was extended to all of the
countries involved, but it was Guatemala that responded quickest and most
enthusiastically in welcoming the project.
At the same time, the special political situation of the country was a
determining factor in carrying out the course.
In 1998, two were held: one in
Barbados, the fifth regional seminar for the English-speaking Caribbean (June);
and the second specialized regional course on human rights for the Andes region
to be held in Caracas in November.
The course lasts for one week, and methodologies
such as conferences, round tables, workshops, case studies, areas of special
emphasis, and optional activities, are used.
Funding:
It is executed with regular funds from the IIHR budget and outside
contributions.
d. Administration
of justice and human rights
(In execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
To train officials of the judicial branch and from other agencies in the
incorporation and enforcement of human rights in the administration of justice.
Characteristics:
Seminars, workshops, and other training activities in the field of
administration of justice. Officials
from the judicial branch or from other agencies dealing with the incorporation
and practice of human rights in judicial activities are trained. These meetings take place at various times
during the year in different countries of Latin America, such as Argentina,
Honduras, and Mexico.
Among the activities carried out during 1998, are
the following:
·
International forum
on access to justice. (second half of the year)
·
Courses on
enforcement of human rights in the domestic realm. (March-May)
·
Seminar on the
judicial career. (Nicaragua) (May)
·
Seminar on Organic
law, judicial branch (Nicaragua) (April-June)
Funding: institutional funds and outside support.
e. Ombudsmen and human rights
(In
execution)
Executing
organ: IIHR
Objectives:
To train officials in Latin American Offices of the defenders of the
people and Offices of the Prosecutor for Human Rights, on human rights and on
international protection instruments.
Characteristics:
Through various activities held in different places on the continent
during the year, officials of offices of the defenders of the people and of
offices of the Prosecutor for Human Rights will be trained on the topic of
human rights, from various perspectives, so that they can utilize the knowledge
in their daily work.
Among other activities, the following can be
cited:
·
Ombudsman course at
the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares. (March 9-17)
·
III General Assembly
of the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen.
·
(September)
·
II Inter-American
course on Parliamentary Commissioners and Human Rights. (September)
·
Initiation courses
for officials of the offices of the defenders of the people, implemented recently. (November)
Funding: IIHR’s regular budget
f. Workshop on human rights and legal
guarantees
(New
activity)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Objectives:
Promote, with a group of select members of the Commission on
Constitutional and Juridical Affairs, of the Popular Power National Assembly in
Cuba, a debate on the various options offered by comparative constitutional
practice in Latin America as concerns legal human rights guarantees.
Characteristics:
The Office of Investigation and Development is responsible for this
activity, and it falls within a broader plan aimed at promoting and
strengthening human rights in Cuba. It
will be conducted in the month of September.
Funding:
institutional and other funds.
g. Inter-American course, civil society
and human rights
(New
activity)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Make available to organizations in the private sector working in the
area of promoting and protecting human rights, a place for exchanging
experiences, academic updating, and fostering relationships of mutual
collaboration.
Characteristics:
This is an activity designed to train members of organizations in the
private sector on various issues related to human rights, with the intention of
reinforcing the work they are carrying out in this area. In addition, it aims to conduct workshops
for exchange of experiences in which the participants can enhance their work
through the work carried out by others, as well as foster cooperation and
coordination among the agencies they represent.
Funding:
institutional and other funds.
h. IIHR internship program
(In
execution)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Program of internships lasting six months or one
year, for students from different disciplines of the social sciences involved
in the study and development of human rights:
law, psychology, sociology, political science, among others.
IIHR is in charge of selection, based on
applications submitted by students, who must be backed by funding from an
academic organization or an organization connected with the practice of human
rights. Number of internships: Maximum of 5 per year.
Funding: Financed within the regular budget of IIHR
3. Strengthening program on issues related
to women’s rights
a. CIM
Seminars on strengthening of national entities on “legal aspects of the fight
against domestic violence”
(New
activity)
Executing organ:
CIM
To be carried out in the countries that are not
signatories to the Convention of Belém do Pará, and in those that have not
sanctioned domestic violence laws.
These would be advanced-level seminars and would be aimed at
legislators, judges, medical and police personnel, with the aim of making them
aware of the problem, the need for appropriate legislation, and support services
for victims of domestic violence.
Funding:
Requires special funding.
b. CIM program for journalists on the
role of women in today’s society
(New
activity)
Executing
organ: CIM
Objective:
Orientation program on issues of gender for journalists and leaders of
the media, to hasten cultural change with regard to the role and function of
women, and to prevent the spread of reprehensible practices and gender
stereotypes.
Funding:
Requires special funds.
c. Strengthening of national
institutions regarding the nature of the impact of migration on the human rights of women
(New
activity)
Executing organ: CIM
Objective:
Put into practice the project outline developed by UNESCO, CIM, and the
International Migration Institute, in order to measure the effect of migrations
on women in different regions, so as to be able to confront their negative
consequences, especially those resulting from the consequences of armed
conflict.
Funding: Requires special funding.
d. Additional
protocol. Working Document. Convention on the Elimination of all forms
of Discrimination against Women
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Offer information, analytical rigor, and juridical basis to those who
are within the systems of protection, governmental women’s offices, and women’s
organizations in the Caribbean and Latin America. By the same token, the working document aims to serve as a useful
and effective tool in the hands of our countries’ diplomatic offices, which
should participate in developing the Additional protocol of the Convention on
the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, which will soon
be presented for consideration by the General Assembly.
Characteristics:
Document that provides information on the background of the debate and
approval process for a preliminary draft of the Additional Protocol and some
strategies to assure an effective commitment on the part of all sectors
involved in the ratification and approval of this document. Published in March, containing 182 pages.
Funding: Institutional funds.
e. Gender and Human Rights
(In
execution)
Executing
organ: IIHR
Objectives:
To train women in the field of education, promotion, and mechanisms for
the protection of human rights, through the production of training materials or
activities.
Characteristics:
During the year, IIHR’s Program
for Gender and Human Rights has organized a series of regional and national
activities, such as seminars and training workshops, with the goal of promotion
and education in human rights for various women’s groups. Also, production and distribution of
educational material aimed at women from various sectors and work areas has
been proposed.
Funding: institutional and other funds.
4. Program
on human rights in the armed forces and security forces
a. Security forces
(In
execution)
Executing
organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Introduce the issue of human rights as an integral part of the education
of members of the security forces, through production of materials and
conducting of training activities and technical assistance.
Characteristics:
During 1998, IIHR has planned various activities aimed at introducing
the topic of respect for human rights in the daily activity of the security
forces. For this purpose, different
work methodologies have been designed, ranging from the publication of
materials to technical assistance and developing of training forums.
Funding: IIDH’s regular budget
5. Program on freedom of speech
a. Meeting on freedom of speech and
responsibility of the media
(In
execution)
Executing organ:
IIHR
Objectives:
Bring together professional journalists, jurists, and politicians, to
debate the promotion of more modern rules for protecting freedom of speech in
the Americas, including adapting professionally to the rule in article 13 of
the Convention. It also includes topics
such as the interference of journalism in the functioning of the justice system
and that of other state institutions.
Three seminars have been conducted in 1997 in Cartagena, Santa Cruz de
la Sierra, and Antigua, Guatemala. It
is anticipated that three more will be conducted in the biennium 98-99.
Funding: Requires partial funding of new activities
for the biennium 98-99.
b. Seminars on free speech
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Promote freedom in the responsible practice of the media as an essential
condition of the right to freedom of speech.
Characteristics:
It will be held in the second half of 1998, and among the topics to be
discussed will be revision of legislation on freedom of speech and
information. In addition, technical
advice will be given to the Inter-American Press Society (SIP), for the
revision of the declaration of Chapultepec on freedom of the press.
Funding: institutional funds and support from other
funding sources.
c. Promotional activities on freedom of
speech
(New
activity)
Executing organ: IACHR
Objectives:
Conduct courses, workshops, conferences, and seminars on freedom of
speech and of the press in the Americas, and methods of protection.
Funding: Requires additional funding.
6. Program
for electoral consultation and promotion
a. IIHR-CAPEL Electoral consultation
and promotion
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Strengthen development of the election process in Latin America and the
Caribbean, through training and technical assistance for officials of electoral
agencies and others related to this area.
Characteristics:
The IIHR, through the Center for Electoral Consultation and Promotion
(CAPEL), has a broad program of activities throughout Latin America and the
Caribbean, ranging from technical assistance to conducting training courses and
seminars on election issues and issues of human rights. In addition, this initiative aims to foster
exchange and cooperation between the different electoral organizations of the
continent.
Among the activities
which have been planned for this year are:
·
Second
Ibero-American Seminar on Freedom of Speech. (April)
·
Seminar on the
System for the Election of Deputies. (April)
·
XII Conference on
the Protocol of Tikal
·
Parliamentary
Computer Network Seminar. (June)
·
VII Conference on
the Protocol of Quito. (August)
·
IV conference of the
Union of Electoral Organizations. (December)
In addition, observation missions in Costa Rica,
Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic have
been conducted or will be conducted.
Funding: IIHR’s regular budget
7. Program on prison systems and human
rights
a. Prevention
and treatment for victims of torture:
Seminars about the prison systems in Central America
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Promote scrutiny and reform of the prison systems, from a human rights
perspective.
Characteristics:
Training and advice for those connected with the prison systems, with
the aim of promoting reform that is in line with international instruments and
domestic legislation on human rights.
During 1998, work in this field will focus on Central America, through
regional and national activities.
Funding: institutional and other funds.
8. IIHR publications and dissemination
program
a. IIHR publications and dissemination
program on human rights
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objective:
Produce publications on special human rights topics, and distribute
information on mechanisms, rules, activities, and doctrinal materials. IIHR regularly produces, publishes, and
distributes publications (see appendix) for different populations.
Funding: Regular IIHR budget and special
contributions.
b. Network for exchange and electronic
dissemination of information on economic, social, and cultural rights.
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objective:
IIHR has maintained its own web page since 1997 in order to serve as a
stimulus and as a network for NGOs throughout the continent on economic,
social, and cultural rights and their treatment by international financial
institutions, and related topics.
Funding:
Regular IIHR budget and special contributions.
III. AREA
ON EDUCATION AND GENERAL TRAINING IN HUMAN RIGHTS
General
objective of this Area: Courses aimed
essentially at the most vulnerable sectors of the population, and at creating a
culture of respect for human rights, tolerance, and democracy in the overall
population.
a. IIHR
project for university education on human rights
(In
execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
The IIHR has begun a technical assistance project
for certain universities in Latin America which are incorporating human rights
in their academic programs.
Specifically, a general cooperation agreement has been signed with the
Universidad Rafael Landivar, in Guatemala, by which collaboration is taking
place in the implementing of their Masters in Human Rights, to begin in June of
1998.
Funding:
The IIHR activity with the Universidad R. Landivar has funding. Expanding this line of projects would
require special funding.
b. UPD
program for education in human rights
(New activity, approved
by the Permanent Council)
Executing organ:
UPD (is an area of its working plan approved by the Permanent Council.)
Objective:
Intended to expand citizens’ ability to assert their rights.
CIM, with the collaboration of the UPD, can
promote the holding of conferences on the full and equal participation of
women.
Funding:
Requires additional funds. In
its working plan for 1998, approved by the Permanent Council, the UPD envisions
developing, in 1998, in collaboration with the IACHR, this program for which it
is proposed that outside funds be sought. (OEA/Ser.G/ CP/doc.2995/97 p.6).
c. Program
to incorporate human rights in the practices and curricula of formal national
educational systems. (Expansion of a
program currently in execution by IIHR and other agencies)
Executing
organ: IIHR, with the potential
cooperation of other institutions.
The IIHR has agreements with Ministries of
Education in several countries, through which it advises in the design of human
rights curricula, in order to incorporate the subject in study plans at the
primary and secondary school level, and it collaborates in the same vein with
teachers’ associations. Through its
Educational Resource Center (CRE), it generates teaching materials and guides
for their use by teachers; these have been adopted by the educational authorities
in several countries. This part of the
program relies on there being interest on the part of the countries, in
accordance with their specific commitments.
In this program, plans and projects can be structured for improving
curricula, training teachers, and developing related techniques and
materials. There already exist in the
region many initiatives of this type, both on the part of National Ministries
and of institutions and experts. the
IIHR has, during 1997, been active in stimulating the compiling of and debate
on these initiatives at the “Conference Exhibition on Education in Human
Rights” held in Costa Rica in December of 1997.
In
this area, the IIHR has planned the following activities for 1998:
·
Technical assistance
in education on human rights in Central America.
·
Forum on education
in human rights for Guatemala.
·
Project on
education, human rights, and democracy for Central America.
·
Seminar on education
in human rights in Venezuela.
·
Session on the
rights of children in Peru and Guatemala.
·
Evaluation of
Programs on education in human rights in Nicaragua.
·
Project on
education, human rights, and democracy for Peru.
·
Project for
education, human rights, and democracy for Mexico.
·
Project for
education, human rights, and democracy for Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
·
Publication and
validation of UNESCO’s manual of education in human rights.
·
Publication and
validation of the CRE portfolio of teaching materials. Argentine version.
·
United Nations
Decade for Education project.
Funding:
The activities already planned by IIHR have funding. Special funding is required to expand their
scope according to demand by the countries.
d. Indigenous peoples and human rights
(In
execution)
Executing
organ: IIHR
Objectives:
Carry out activities and national and regional meetings with the aim of
training indigenous participants on human rights issues, as well as on domestic
and international instruments and mechanisms of protection. In addition, promote and strengthen their
political participation and the development of juridical standards.
Characteristics:
Training activities designed to meet the particular needs of the
indigenous peoples in different countries.
They also seek to foster respect for the human rights of these
peoples. During 1998, special attention
will be given to the case of Guatemala, with activities that will be conducted
during May, June, and October.
Funding:
institutional and other funds.
e. Migrant populations affected by
violence
(In execution)
Executing organ: IIHR
Objective:
Study concentrations of migrant populations, observance of their human
rights, and the situation with regard to citizen safety and crime.
Characteristics:
Series of studies providing means to identify the main problems of
migrant populations. In particular, the
migrant experiences of women will be analyzed, as a form of survival strategy
in the face of systematic human rights violations. The result of these studies will be of great importance for
future initiatives for research, education, and prevention in this field.
Funding: institutional funds and other sources of
financing.
f. Inter-American monograph
competition
(New
activity)
Executing
organ: To be selected
Objectives:
Organize a monograph competition open to all those interested, the topic
being the importance of human rights in the building of a peaceful and
democratic society. (Proposal of the
government of Peru).
Funding: Would require special funding.
g. Competition for postgraduate grants
in the specialized field of human rights
(New activity)
Executing
organ: OAS Department of Grants
Competition for grants to carry out postgraduate
studies in the specialized field of human rights and, in particular, financial
support for research and editing of doctoral dissertations in the field of
human rights. Persons receiving grants
or some type of financial support through this competition could be required to
commit themselves to presenting the results of their research at various
congresses and conferences organized under this program, as a condition of the
grant. (Proposal of the government of
Peru.)
Funding: Would require special funding.
NOTES
i.
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties
of Man, 1st Preamble and art. XXIX.
ii.
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties
of Man. Considering 3.
iii.
idem, Considering.
iv.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, par. 12, 13, and 25, Vienna, 1993, (A. Conf.157/24 Part I. 1993),
Declaration on the Rights of the Child I-25; American Convention on the Prevention,
Punishment, and Eradication of Violence Against Women.
v.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, I-5, Vienna, 1993.
vi.
Summit of the Americas. Declaration of Principles , Miami, 1994.
vii.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, I-10 and I-11, Vienna, 1993.
viii.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, par. 8, Vienna, 1996, and Proposed American Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Preamble, 4; Annual Report 1996 IACHR.
ix.
cf. Proposed American Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples, Art. 1. Annual
Report 1996 IACHR.
x.
cf. Inter-American Convention on the
Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence Against Women, 3rd.
Preamble. OAS 1994.
xi.
cf. Declaration on the Rights of the
Child. Principle 2. U.N. 1959.
xii.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, I-27, Vienna, 1993.
xiii.
cf. World Conference on Human Rights, Final
Declaration, I-33, Vienna, 1993.
xiv.
The Inter-American Commission, together with
other OAS organs, in particular the Inter-American Juridical Committee and the
CIM, have played a central role in the preparation of the main instruments of
the inter-American system (i.e., the American Convention on Human Rights,
itself, and its Protocols, the Conventions on Torture and on Forced
Disappearances of Persons, on Violence Against Women, the Proposed Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, etc.).
AG/RES. 1664 (XXIX-O/99)
CELEBRATION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION
ON HUMAN RIGHTS (Pact OF San José, costa rica) AND THE 20TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE Inter-American Court of Human Rights
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING that the Third Special Inter-American Conference (Buenos Aires, 1967) approved the inclusion of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the list of OAS organs set forth in the OAS Charter and resolved that an inter-American human rights convention should determine the structure, competence, and procedures of the bodies entrusted with such matters;
RECALLING that the American Convention on Human Rights was adopted on November 22, 1969, at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Human Rights, held in San José, Costa Rica;
RECALLING ALSO that, as a consequence of the entry into force, on July 18, 1978, of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) upon deposit of the instrument of ratification by an 11th OAS member state, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights was installed in San José, Costa Rica, on September 3, 1979;
MINDFUL that 24 OAS member states have ratified or acceded to the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica), and that 20 states parties have recognized the contentious jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights;
EMPHASIZING the human rights protection and promotion efforts of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and
NOTING that the Government of Costa Rica will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th anniversary of the installation of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and that it has extended an invitation to that event to the governments of the OAS member states, the OAS Secretary General, the permanent observers, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, and other regional nongovernmental bodies of importance to the functioning of the system,
RESOLVES:
1. To thank the Government of Costa Rica for hosting the events
commemorating the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights
(Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th anniversary of the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights.
2. To include this important celebration, sponsored by the Government of Costa Rica and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, among the official activities of the inter-American human rights system for November 1999.
3. To
urge the governments of the OAS member states, the OAS Secretary General, the
permanent observers, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to
attend or be represented at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the
American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th
anniversary of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
AG/RES. 1665 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR THE WORK
OF THE INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1334 (XXV-O/95) and AG/RES. 1405 (XXVI-O/96), on support for the work of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIHR);
EXPRESSING ITS RECOGNITION of the work of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in the countries of the Hemisphere in terms of building democracy and respect for human rights, and of its technical assistance in the drafting of modern legislation and the incorporation of international rules of law into domestic law;
NOTING the outstanding work of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in promoting human rights by creating educational programs to inform the public about the rights internationally recognized by their states;
RECOGNIZING the specialized training and technical assistance provided by the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights to judges, electoral tribunals, ministries of education, government human rights offices, police forces, armed forces, civil society organizations, educators, jurists, and political parties;
COMMENDING the initiative taken by the Inter-American Institute to include the gender perspective in all its programs and to promote the adoption of new international instruments designed to ensure the rights of women;
RECOGNIZING the important contribution made by the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights to the current discussion on the future of the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights; and
COMMENDING the contribution made by the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights to fostering a culture of peace and respect for human rights in the Hemisphere by way of the comprehensive plan approach, which promotes the optimal use of resources and of investments made in education and specialized training,
RESOLVES:
1. To support the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights so that it may continue to carry out promotional, educational, and specialized training activities in the field of human rights at the national, regional, and hemispheric levels so as to strengthen the full effectiveness of those rights.
2. To encourage international and regional financial institutions to support to the various programs of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights and to strengthening the Institute itself.
3. To urge the member states, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, in view of their background of work in the Hemisphere, to coordinate on preparations for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica.
4. To instruct the Permanent Council, in fulfillment of resolution AG/RES. 1488 (XXVII-O/97), to include the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in the dialogue it is promoting together with the other organs, agencies, and entities of the system to strengthen and improve the inter-American human rights system.
AG/RES. 1666 (XXIX-O/99)
CREATION OF THE COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE
COOPERATION PROGRAMS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the broad spectrum of programs and activities related to technical cooperation and development carried out by the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system;
CONSIDERING:
That the OAS General Secretariat has a system for coordination with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); and
That it is necessary to establish a mechanism to improve the exchange of information and coordination of such programs and activities in order to use the resources of the inter-American system more effectively and efficiently;
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALSO that the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system carry out development activities in the countries of the Hemisphere without appropriate coordination; and
BEARING IN MIND that the need for improved coordination within the inter-American system was a recurring theme in the Ministerial Dialogue on cooperation for integral development in the new millennium at the Fourth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI),
RESOLVES:
1. To authorize the establishment of the Committee to Coordinate Cooperation Programs of the Inter-American System; and to request the Secretary General to hold necessary consultations with the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system that deal with development matters and report to the Permanent Council on ways to implement this resolution.
2. To establish that the function of this Committee shall be to improve the coordination of technical cooperation and development programs carried out by various organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system.
3. To stipulate that this Committee, chaired by the OAS Secretary General, will be composed of the corresponding chief executive officer of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), of the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH), of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), of the Inter-American Children's Institute (IIN), of the Inter-American Indian Institute (III), of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), and of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the executive officer in charge of the committees which are engaged in technical cooperation and development programs and related activities.
4. To stipulate that the Assistant Secretary General shall be the Vice Chair of the Committee and that the Executive Secretary of CIDI shall be its Technical Secretary.
5. To establish that the Committee shall meet at least twice a year and at such other times as deemed necessary by the Secretary General or as formally requested by the chief executive officer of any specialized organization of the inter-American system.
6. To request the Secretary General to report periodically to the Permanent Council, the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), and to the General Assembly on the work of the Committee to Coordinate Cooperation Programs of the Inter-American System.
AG/RES. 1667 (XXIX-O/99)
INCLUSION OF CHILDREN’S ISSUES ON THE HEMISPHERIC AGENDA
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization of American States (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2) and, in particular, those regarding the Annual Report of the Inter-American Children’s Institute (CP/doc.3182/99); and
CONSIDERING:
That during the 73rd meeting of the Directing Council of the Inter-American Children’s Institute, all participants repeatedly noted the difficulties encountered in including the subject of children on the agendas of the meetings of the General Assembly, the councils of the Organization of American States, and the other inter-American specialized organizations;
That children are a
permanent reality and the origin of the region’s human resources, that almost
half the inhabitants of our countries are children or adolescents, and that
every four seconds a child is born in the Americas;
That because of their socioeconomic status, many children will be unable to benefit from the region’s progress; that a third of them are born to poor families and experience marginalization from the beginning of their lives; that approximately 10 percent of these children will not be registered and therefore have no identity; that about half of them will drop out of the school system before completing their primary education, to the detriment not only of their individual potential, but also of their countries’ social capital; and that 22 percent of them will become street dwellers, which condition places their physical and moral integrity at risk;
That the various problems mentioned above have harmful effects on the children and adolescents of the Americas;
That, no less important than the above, the socioeconomic context renders our children extremely vulnerable to sexual exploitation;
That, therefore, children’s issues and the commitment of our countries to adopt public policies that respect our children’s rights should have their rightful place on the agendas of the General Assembly, the Councils of the OAS, and the other inter-American specialized organizations;
That in this regard it is absolutely essential that children’s issues be given priority consideration in the aforesaid political forums, especially in the General Assembly of the OAS and at the next Summit of the Americas, to be held in Canada; and
That the Directing Council, at its 73rd regular session, agreed in resolution CD/RES. 11 (73-R/98) to request the Institute to include in its annual report to the General Assembly a draft resolution emphasizing the importance of this issue and proposing a specific course of action,
RESOLVES:
1. To
encourage all the member states of the OAS to promote, through the appropriate
bodies, the inclusion of children’s issues and, in particular, the issue of
their well-being at the next Summit of the Americas, to be held in Canada.
2. To instruct the Inter-American Children’s Institute to deal systematically with the problem of the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the region and their participation in armed conflicts, in coordination with other organs, agencies, and entities of the United Nations system and other relevant organizations, in such a way as to propose the development of strategies and plans of action aimed at preventing and combating this scourge.
3. To
instruct the Inter-American Children’s Institute to prepare an annual report,
to be submitted to the Secretary General of the Organization of American
States, describing the steps taken by the member states to combat the
commercial and other sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.
AG/RES. 1668 (XXIX-O/99)
STRENGTHENING COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS
AND CIVIL SOCIETY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile in April 1998, which recognizes that representative democracy is founded upon the active participation of individuals;
The civil society initiative contained in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas;
Resolution AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98), "The Organization of American States and Civil Society;" and
The Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99), especially as regards the implementation of the provisions on civil society entrusted to the OAS in the Plan of Action of Santiago; and
CONSIDERING:
That the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere made a commitment to stepping up education for democracy, promoting the necessary actions to make government institutions more participatory, strengthening the capacity of regional and local governments, and promoting more active participation by civil society;
That the civil society initiative in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas recognizes the OAS as a suitable forum for the exchange of experience and information and instructs it to "encourage support among Governments and civil society organizations and to promote appropriate programs to carry out this initiative";
That in the Plan of Action, the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere agreed to request that the Inter-American Development Bank develop financial mechanisms for implementing programs designed to strengthen civil society and mechanisms for public participation;
That resolution AG/RES. 1539 (XXVIII-O/98) reaffirmed the role of the OAS as a policy forum for a community of democratic nations and instructed the Permanent Council to examine new ways to increase participation by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations in the activities of the Organization;
That the implementation of the Cooperation Program in Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation established by the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy has been particularly beneficial and has led to the holding of the First and Second Seminars on Frameworks and Policies for Citizen Participation at the Municipal Level, held in Cochabamba (July 1998) and Buenos Aires (May 1999); and
That the member states have an interest in strengthening dialogue and cooperation with civil society organizations,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge the member states to establish, or to continue to strengthen, mechanisms of cooperation between governments and civil society organizations at the state, provincial, and municipal levels.
2. To
instruct the General Secretariat to provide advice and assistance to member
states that so request, with a view to establishing or strengthening mechanisms
for facilitating exchanges between governments and civil society organizations
at the state, provincial, and municipal levels in the following areas, inter alia:
a. The establishment or enhancement of flexible and efficient communication systems, particularly by electronic means, between the member states and civil society organizations;
b. The establishment of communication networks among member states to foster the exchange of knowledge, experience, and innovations in this area, including periodic meetings under the aegis of the OAS; and
c. Support for interested states in holding conferences and seminars, sponsored by the General Secretariat, to acquaint civil society organizations with matters of interest to them in the national, regional, or hemispheric arenas.
3. To request the Secretary General to seek the necessary resources to make such cooperation possible with support from the IDB, interested states, and other relevant inter-American institutions.
4. To request the Secretary General to invite as well the member states, the permanent observers, and civil society organizations to make additional voluntary contributions to help fulfill the mandates envisaged in this resolution.
5. To instruct the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the progress made in implementing this resolution.
AG/RES. 1669 (XXIX-O/99)
OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ANNUAL REPORTS
OF THE ORGANS, AGENCIES, AND ENTITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the observations and recommendations made by the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3830/99 add. 2) on the annual reports presented by the Pan American Health Organization (CP/doc.3155/99), the Inter-American Commission of Women (CP/doc.3166/99), the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (CP/doc.3156/99), the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CP/doc.3170/99), the Administrative Tribunal (CP/doc.3162/99), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CP/doc.3169/99), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (CP/doc.3168/99), and the Inter-American Children’s Institute (CP/doc.3182/99);
CONSIDERING:
That the observations and recommendations made by the Permanent Council on the annual reports of the aforementioned organs, agencies, and entities are transcribed in the minutes CP/ACTA 1184/99, 1185/99, 1187/99, 1189/99, and 1190/99; and
That the Permanent Council’s recommendations and observations recognize the successful efforts of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization to further the principles and objectives of the Organization and the inter-American system; and
BEARING IN MIND that these reports have been presented in keeping with Article 91.f of the OAS Charter and with resolution AG/RES. 1452 (XXVII-O/97),
RESOLVES:
1. To note the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the annual reports and to transmit them to the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization.
2. To request the organs, agencies, and
entities of the Organization to include in the annual report to be presented to
the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session the draft resolutions
they see fit to transmit to the Assembly, after consideration by their
respective members or specialists in the area.
3. To also request the organs, agencies, and entities to include in their annual reports, if appropriate, consideration of a gender equity approach.
4. To thank the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization that complied with the statutory deadline for the presentation of annual reports; and once again to urge all organs, agencies, and entities to submit their reports in accordance with Article 35 the Rules of Procedure of the Permanent Council.
AG/RES. 1670 (XXIX-O/99)
SUPPORT FOR THE WORK
OF DEFENDERS OF THE PEOPLE, DEFENDERS OF THE POPULATION, HUMAN RIGHTS
ATTORNEYS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSIONERS (OMBUDSMEN) IN THE CONTEXT OF
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN THE HEMISPHERE
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the important work of defenders of the people, defenders of the population, human rights attorneys, and human rights commissioners in various countries of the Hemisphere, which has created impetus for establishing and implementing the institution of the ombudsman in all countries of the region;
BEARING IN MIND resolutions AG/RES. 1505 (XXVII-O/97) and AG/RES. 1601 (XXVIII-O/98), in which the General Assembly recommended to the international community that it provide, as far as practicable, its valuable support in holding the Third Annual Congress of the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen (IFO), which took place in Lima, Peru, in September 1998;
RECALLING that, in the aforementioned resolutions, the member states of the inter-American system were urged to take measures to promote the political, administrative, and financial independence of defenders of the people, defenders of the population, human rights attorneys, and human rights commissioners of the Hemisphere;
CONSIDERING the content of the Plan of Action adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas and, in particular, the commitment to strengthen democracy, justice, and human rights, which are a first priority for the Hemisphere; and
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the conclusions of the meetings of the Latin
American and Caribbean Chapter of the International Ombudsmen Institute (IOI)
and the Third Annual Congress of the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen
(IFO), contained in the Declaration of Lima, and the content of the Declaration
of Oporto, adopted by the ombudsmen of Ibero-America at the meeting to prepare
for the Eighth Ibero-American Conference of Heads of State and Government, held
in Oporto, Portugal, in October 1998,
RESOLVES:
1. To reiterate its support for the work of ombudsmen, defenders of the people, defenders of the population, human rights attorneys, and human rights commissioners in the countries of the Hemisphere, which is essential to strengthening representative democracy, justice, human rights, and good governance.
2. To recommend to the member states that measures be taken, according to each country’s legal system, to promote the political, administrative, and financial autonomy of defenders of the people, defenders of the population, human rights attorneys, and human rights commissioners in the member countries of the Hemisphere.
3. To recommend that those states that do
not yet have such institutions consider the possibility of establishing them
and putting them into practice, in the context of their existing legal and
constitutional systems.
4. To encourage the governments and bodies of the inter-American system to promote opportunities for dialogue among those institutions and the appropriate bodies of the inter-American system, in order to enhance their contribution to democracy in the Hemisphere.
5. To reaffirm the support of the inter-American community for the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen, particularly for the holding of its Fourth Annual Congress, which will be held in Honduras from September 27 to 29, 1999; and to give due attention to the recommendations issued at that Congress.
AG/RES. 1671 (XXIX-O/99)
“HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN THE AMERICAS”
SUPPORT FOR THE INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND ORGANIZATIONS
OF CIVIL SOCIETY
WORKING TO PROMOTE AND
PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, particularly Chapter VII, “Recommendations to Member States in Areas in which Steps Need to Be Taken towards Full Observance of the Human Rights Set Forth in the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rights”; and
CONSIDERING:
That the Heads of State and Government affirmed in the Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, that “respect for and promotion of human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all individuals is a primary concern of our governments”;
That the member states of the Organization of American States, in adopting declaration AG/DEC. 16 (XXVII-O/98), “Reaffirmation of Caracas,” at the regular session of the General Assembly, held in Caracas, Venezuela, in June 1998, reaffirmed their determination to continue to strengthen and fine-tune the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights;
That the General Assembly, through resolution AG/RES. 1044 (XX-O/90), adopted on June 8, 1990, reiterated “the recommendation made in prior years to the governments of the member states that they grant the necessary guarantees and facilities to enable nongovernmental human rights organizations to continue contributing to the promotion and protection of human rights, and that they respect the freedom and safety of the members of such organizations”;
That in its 1998 Annual Report, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights recommends that the member states take all necessary measures to protect the physical integrity of human rights defenders and to ensure they can work under appropriate conditions;
RECOGNIZING
the important work of individuals, groups, and organizations of civil society
(henceforth “Human Rights Defenders”) and their valuable contribution to the
promotion, observance, and protection of fundamental rights and liberties and
the effective elimination of human rights violations at the national and
regional levels,
CONCERNED at the situations that have arisen in the Americas that directly or indirectly prevent or hamper the work of Human Rights Defenders at national and regional level;
AWARE of the importance of observing the essential purposes and principles established in the Charter of the Organization of American States and in the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, as well as the provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights and the other instruments for the promotion and protection of human rights of the inter-American system; and
MINDFUL of the principles established in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, on December 9, 1998,
RESOLVES:
1. To recognize and support the work carried out by Human Rights Defenders and their valuable contribution to the promotion, observance, and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the Americas.
2. To urge member states to persist in their efforts to provide Human Rights Defenders with the necessary guarantees and facilities to continue freely carrying out their work of promoting and protecting human rights, at the national and regional levels, in accordance with internationally recognized principles and agreements.
3. To deplore acts that directly or indirectly prevent or hamper the work of Human Rights Defenders, at the national and regional level, and to urge member states to continue taking the necessary steps to guarantee their life, liberty, and integrity.
4. To encourage the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to continue promoting and protecting the fundamental rights of Human Rights Defenders.
5. To request the states and the agencies of the inter-American human rights system to intensify their efforts to publicize this resolution, the American Convention on Human Rights, and other inter-American instruments in this field, as well as the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups, and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
6. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue studying, in coordination with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the matter addressed in this resolution and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1672 (XXIX-O/99)
SPECIAL PROGRAM OF SUPPORT FOR GUATEMALA
Adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Secretary General to the Permanent Council on the Special Program of Support for Guatemala (CP/doc.3212/99);
RECALLING the mandate to support the strengthening of democracy and the peace process, issued to the General Secretariat in resolution MRE/RES. 2/93 of the ad hoc Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on Guatemala; in resolution AG/RES. 1378 (XXVI-O/96), adopted by the General Assembly in Panama City, Panama; in resolution AG/RES. 1466 (XXVII-O/97), adopted in Lima, Peru; and in resolution AG/RES. 1533 (XXVIII-O/98), adopted in Caracas, Venezuela;
CONSIDERING:
That the peace agreements signed in Guatemala City on December 29, 1996, put an end to over three decades of internal armed conflict;
The firm commitment of the Government of Guatemala to implement the accords and thereby strengthen peace and democracy in Guatemala; and
The solidarity of the international community, expressed in its commitment to continue supporting the country in its efforts to carry out those accords fully; and
BEARING IN MIND the progress made toward fulfilling the decisions made by the foreign ministers and heads of delegation of the member states of the Organization of American States by way of resolution AG/RES. 1533 (XXVIII-O/98),
RESOLVES:
1. To congratulate the Government of Guatemala on the progress made in implementing the peace accords.
2. To reaffirm its support to the Government and people of Guatemala in their efforts to strengthen democracy and build firm and lasting peace in that country.
3. To recognize the work of the General Secretariat in the fulfillment of resolution AG/RES. 1466 (XXVII-O/97).
4. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to lend full support to the efforts to strengthen democracy and peace, to rebuild, and to achieve reconciliation in Guatemala, through the Organization's Special Program of Support, adopted by the General Assembly in resolution AG/RES. 1378 (XXVI-O/96).
5. To note with satisfaction the recent initiation of the democratic values and policy management program as a new component of the Special Program of Support for Guatemala, AG/RES. 1378 (XXVI-O/96).
6. To request the General Secretariat to continue to support the components of the Special Program of Support for Guatemala, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, with particular emphasis on technical assistance for elections; the Culture of Dialogue: Program for Resource Development for Building Peace in Guatemala (PROPAZ); democratic values and policy management; legal assistance to the Guatemalan Congress; and assistance in clearing mines and explosive devices in Guatemala.
7. To laud the efforts launched by the Government of Guatemala and the General Secretariat to explore ways to institutionalize the Culture of Dialogue: Program for Resource Development for Building Peace in Guatemala (PROPAZ), and the possible creation of a regional entity devoted to training, research, and the promotion of disciplines associated with conflict prevention and resolution.
8. To acknowledge in particular the Governments of Canada and the United States of America, the Governments of Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Soros-Guatemala Foundation for their financial contributions to the various components of the Special Program of Support for Guatemala.
9. To renew its request to the General Secretariat to continue its coordination with the United Nations General Secretariat and other international organizations for the purposes set forth in this resolution.
10. To request the Secretary General to present a progress report to the Permanent Council on the Special Program of Support for Guatemala before the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly.
AG/RES. 1673 (XXIX-O/99)
Parliamentary Network of the Americas
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on the parliamentary network of the Americas (CP/CAJP-1527/99 rev. 1), presented pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1599 (XXVIII-O/98); and the report presented by the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy on the implementation of AG/RES. 1599 (XXVIII-O/98), specifically as regards the organization of a meeting of national legislative leaders of the Americas, held in the Dominican Republic in November 1998;
RECALLING:
That it was agreed in the Plan of Action of the First Summit of the Americas, held in Miami in December 1994, to support OAS efforts to encourage opportunities for the exchange of experiences among the democratic institutions of member states, in particular among their legislative bodies;
That the Declaration of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago in April 1998, reaffirmed the willingness to continue enhancing dialogue and cooperation in the Hemisphere; and
That resolution AG/RES. 1599 (XXVIII-O/98) instructed the OAS General Secretariat to facilitate parliamentary dialogue;
BEARING IN MIND the initiatives adopted by the General Assembly to facilitate the meeting of parliamentarians on confidence- and security-building measures, as recommended in the Declaration of San Salvador and envisaged in resolution AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), “Confidence- and Security-Building in the Americas”;
CONSIDERING the importance of receiving contributions from national parliamentarians–an expression of the popular will–within the framework of an interparliamentary dialogue for discussing hemispheric issues, which will help to strengthen OAS cooperation with the representatives of civil society;
FURTHER CONSIDERING:
That the establishment of a parliamentary network among member states at the hemispheric level would complement initiatives undertaken by international, regional, and subregional parliamentary forums in the Americas; and
That national parliamentarians from many member states have taken measures to initiate such a dialogue on the inter-American agenda,
RESOLVES:
1. To sponsor a meeting to be held during the first quarter of 2000–under the terms set forth in resolution AG/RES. 1599 (XXVIII-O/98) as regards external funding–of the chairs of the foreign affairs committees or equivalent bodies of the national congresses or parliaments of the OAS member states, the purpose of which shall be to further the development of interparliamentary dialogue in addressing issues on the hemispheric agenda, bearing in mind the idea of establishing a forum for this purpose.
2. To request the General Secretariat to make the preparations for that meeting, through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, and to keep the Working Group on Representative Democracy informed in this regard.
3. To encourage the member states to make voluntary contributions to a specific fund, which would be administered by the General Secretariat, for activities related to interparliamentary dialogue on inter-American issues.
4. To request the Secretary General and the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1674 (XXIX-O/99)
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Declaration of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and the Plan of Action for the Sustainable Development of the Americas; and
The Declaration of Santiago and the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas;
RECOGNIZING:
That climate change is a common concern of humankind; and
The continuing need for scientific research into the sources and effects of climate change and its possible adverse impact, including the socio-economic consequences;
NOTING:
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Buenos Aires Plan of Action; and
The Barbados Declaration and the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;
ACKNOWLEDGING:
The urgent need for all member states to begin the process of planning for adaptation to global climate change and to put in place measures to mitigate the possible adverse effects of climate change in the Americas; and
The active participation of the governments of CARICOM member states in the “Caribbean: Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change” project, funded by the Global Environment Facility through the World Bank and executed by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States with the University of the West Indies Centre for Environment and Development,
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), through its appropriate subsidiary bodies, to consult with member states on the ways and means of addressing climate change in the Americas within the OAS, bearing in mind the need to avoid duplicating activities carried out in other forums.
2. To instruct CIDI to report to the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1675 (XXIX-O/99)
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION
OF AMERICAN STATES AND THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF
THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING
SEEN the report of the General Secretariat on implementation of resolution
AG/RES. 1538 (XXVIII-O/98) “Cooperation between the Organization of American
States and the Caribbean Community”;
RECOGNIZING
that, as stated in the above report, the General Secretariat of the
Organization of American States and the CARICOM Secretariat are cooperating in
a number of areas and are jointly pursuing several programs and projects in
priority areas, such as the promotion of democracy and sustainable development,
which are on the agenda of the Summit of the Americas and which were also
discussed at the Second OAS/CARICOM General Meeting on Cooperation in April,
1998; and
TAKING
NOTE that discussions have continued at the Secretariat level on the “Program
of Support for Democracy and Good Governance in Parliamentary Systems: A
Caribbean Perspective,” which was initiated during the Second General Meeting
between the OAS and CARICOM, and that in April, 1999 the Assistant Secretary
General met with the Secretary General and representatives of the CARICOM
Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, to discuss modalities for the implementation
of this program as well as the mobilization of external resources through a
Donors’ Meeting in September or October of this year,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the
Secretary General on implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1538 (XXVIII-O/98).
2. To request the Secretary General to
continue activities designed to strengthen and enhance cooperative relations
between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the
Caribbean Community Secretariat.
3. To express satisfaction with the manner
in which the Assistant Secretary General coordinates the execution and
follow-up of joint OAS and CARICOM activities.
4. To
request the General Secretariat to continue efforts aimed at implementing the
objectives put forward during the General Meeting on OAS/CARICOM Cooperation
held at the headquarters of the Organization of American States in 1998.
5. To request the Secretary General, in
furtherance of the implementation of the mandates from the Summit of the
Americas, to take the necessary action to promote effective cooperation between
the General Secretariat of the OAS and the CARICOM Secretariat, through the
Office of Summit Follow-up, and in coordination with the Office of the
Assistant Secretary General, to facilitate the implementation of those mandates
from the Summit which are of particular relevance to CARICOM member states.
6. To endorse the “Program of Support for
Democracy and Good Governance in Parliamentary Democracies: A Caribbean
Perspective,” which has been agreed to by the General Secretariat of the OAS
and the CARICOM Secretariat and to request member states to provide as much
assistance as possible toward the implementation of this Program.
7. To urge member states to participate in
the proposed Donors’ Meeting to raise external funds for this Program.
8. To request the Secretary General to
present a report on implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly
at its thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1676 (XXIX-O/99)
SPECIAL PROGRAM OF SUPPORT TO COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY “EL NIÑO”
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
HAVING SEEN:
The Charter of the Organization of American States, in particular Articles 93, 94, and 95, and the Statutes of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), AG/RES. 1443 (XXVI-O/96); and
The Declaration of Santiago, adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas; the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001; resolution CIDI/RES. 11 (II-O/97), “Inter-American Program for Sustainable Development and Follow-up to the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development”; the Declaration and Strategic Plan of Action of Miami on Disaster Reduction and Sustainable Development; and resolutions CP/RES. 546 (834/90), "Participation by the Organization of American States in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction," CP/RES. 593 (922/92), “Support for the Theme ‘Natural Disaster Reduction for Sustainable Development’ of the World International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Day – 1992,” AG/RES 1584 (XXVIII-O/98), “Special Program of Support to Countries Affected by “El Niño,” and CIDI/RES. 64 (IV/O/99), “Special Program of Support to Countries Affected by “El Niño”;
CONSIDERING:
That the cyclical southern oscillation phenomenon known as “El Niño” has had profound and disastrous effects on the Americas, causing significant human, material, economic, and environmental loss, the impact of which has continued, seriously affecting the economic and social development of the member states;
That national efforts in the affected countries require increased international cooperation and solidarity to forecast the phenomenon and thereby mitigate its negative social, economic, and environmental effects;
That member states assign special importance to the role of international organizations in taking precautions against, and thereby mitigating and reducing, the effects of disasters in member countries as part of their humanitarian, economic, and social responsibilities;
That the Inter-American Science and Technology Program, approved by the Fourth Regular Meeting of CIDI, identifies as one of its lines of action the development of research at the regional level on “El Niño” and climate change; and
That the General Assembly instructed the Secretary General to conduct a study assessing the capacity of the Organization to prevent, mitigate, and repair the damage caused by El Niño, taking into account the comparative advantages of the Organization and United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/52/200, "International Cooperation to Reduce the Impact of the El Niño Phenomenon"; and
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the efforts of the United Nations to deal with this problem in the context of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, in particular through resolution A/RES/52/200,
RESOLVES:
1. To extend the mandates contained in resolution AG/RES. 1584 (XXVIII-O/98), “Special Program of Support to Countries Affected by ‘El Niño’,” in particular the study mentioned in operative paragraph 2, until its thirtieth regular session.
2. To instruct the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to develop an appropriate response to “El Niño” when the study, and examination of it, have been completed and, in furtherance of the Second Summit of the Americas mandate to exchange information about the “El Niño” phenomenon, to consider the advisability of convening, before the Fifth Regular Meeting of CIDI, an intergovernmental meeting of experts to contribute to defining this response.
3. To reiterate the call made to the member states, and agencies and organizations of the inter-American system, in particular the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), as well as nongovernmental organizations working in this field, to intensify, within the framework of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, their cooperation with efforts aimed at preventing, mitigating, and repairing the damage caused by “El Niño.”
4. To instruct CIDI to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1677 (XXIX-O/99)
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN
COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
having seen:
Article 91.f of the Charter of the
Organization of American States, which entrusts the Permanent Council with
considering the reports of the Inter-American Council for Integral
Development (CIDI) and presenting to the General Assembly any
observations and recommendations it deems necessary;
Article 21.g of the CIDI Statutes, which establishes that CIDI shall approve the annual report and other reports it is to present to the General Assembly;
Resolutions AG/RES. 1452 (XXVII-O/97), “Preparation of the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization,” and AG/RES. 1586 (XXVIII-O/98), “Observations and Recommendations on the Annual Reports of the Organs, Agencies, and Entities of the Organization”; and
Resolution CIDI/RES. 85 (IV-O/99) “Annual Report of CIDI to the General Assembly,”
RESOLVES:
1. To note the 1998-99 Annual Report of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) and express its satisfaction with it.
2. To recognize the work carried out by CIDI in the period covered by its annual report.
AG/RES. 1678 (XXIX-O/99)
MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INTER-AMERICAN
DIALOGUE ON PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, which establishes the role of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) as a forum for inter-American dialogue, promoter of cooperation activities, and mechanism to facilitate the exchange of information, experience, and knowledge;
The Statutes of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, which, in Article 15, authorize CIDI to establish such special committees as it deems necessary, and which, in Article 16, authorize CIDI to create other subsidiary bodies and agencies to address specialized topics;
Resolution AG/RES. 1524 (XXVII-O/97), "Strengthening Partnership for Development Activities within the Framework of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development,” which urges the member states to promote the use of CIDI mechanisms, particularly its regular and specialized ministerial meetings, to follow up on the decisions adopted at the Summits of the Americas, in accordance with the priorities established in the Strategic Plan, as well as to propose and carry out initiatives for implementing those decisions;
Resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXVIII-O/98), “Specialized Conferences,” which instructs the Inter-American Travel Congress and the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor to hold their meetings at the ministerial level within the framework of the sectoral meetings of CIDI;
The Declaration of Santiago and Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas;
Resolution CIDI/RES. 50 (III-O/98), “CIDI and the Summits of the Americas,” which recommends to the sectoral authorities of the member states that they use CIDI mechanisms, particularly its sectoral and specialized ministerial meetings, as appropriate, to assist the member states in implementing the decisions of the Summits of the Americas; and
Resolution CIDI/RES. 55 (IV-O/99), entitled "Mechanisms for Implementing the Inter-American Dialogue on Partnership for Development";
BEARING IN MIND:
That CIDI has resolved to promote increased participation by sectoral, political, and technical authorities of the member states, as well as by their specialized institutions, in the specialized and sectoral meetings of CIDI; the mobilization of additional financial resources for cooperation; the implementation of an information network; and support for human resource training and instruction, among other activities;
That, pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXVIII-O/98), the Inter-American Travel Congress and the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labor are to hold their ministerial meetings within the framework of the sectoral meetings of CIDI, in keeping with the priority of sustainable development of tourism and the priority of social development and creation of productive employment, respectively, of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001;
That the General Assembly, through resolution AG/RES. 1440 (XXVI-O/96), established the Inter-American Committee on Sustainable Development as a subsidiary body of CIDI;
That CIDI, through its Permanent Executive Committee (CEPCIDI), established the Social Development Committee (CDS), pursuant to resolution AG/RES. 1424 (XXVI-O/96);
That the Special Committee on Trade (SCT) was placed within the framework of CIDI as a special committee, pursuant to Article 34 of the CIDI Statutes and AG/RES. 1438 (XXVI-O/96);
That CEPCIDI, after complying with the instructions provided in AG/RES. 1573 (XXVIII-O/98), authorized the establishment of a Special Inter-American Committee on Ports, through resolution CEPCIDI/RES. 41 (XLIX-O/98); and
That CIDI created the Inter-American Science and Technology Committee, and that the General Assembly, through AG/RES. 1576 (XXVIII-O/98), approved its establishment;
RECALLING:
That CIDI has empowered CEPCIDI to identify and implement, within its areas of competence, specific partnership for development projects that concretely express the will of the Heads of State and Government and of the CIDI sectoral meetings to take collective action;
That the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development seeks to maximize the support of governments, international financial and cooperation agencies, and the private sector and thereby strengthen inter-American dialogue in the area of partnership for development;
That at the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in April 1998, the Heads of State and Government of the member states instructed the OAS to foster, coordinate, and facilitate cooperation and collective action in the Hemisphere, through the ministerial meetings and other mechanisms being developed by member states within the CIDI framework, and, to that end, to convene, in consultation with the coordinating countries, forums for technical consultation among countries of the Hemisphere to further the implementation of the commitments set forth in Chapter I, “Education: The Key to Progress,” of the Plan of Action of Santiago; and
That the follow-up to the Summits of the Americas, in the case of certain mandates that call for sectoral ministerial meetings, requires that such meetings, where appropriate, be held within the CIDI/OAS framework; and
CONSIDERING the advisability of systematically organizing the mechanisms for inter-American dialogue at the sectoral level in the CIDI framework, with a view to efficient partnership for development and maximal use of the human and financial resources of the Organization and the member states,
RESOLVES:
1. To invite the member states, through their sectoral authorities, to use the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) mechanisms for inter-American dialogue, in each of the priority areas identified in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001.
2. To urge sectoral authorities in member states, where they have not already done so, to adopt the mechanisms of the inter-American dialogue existing in the CIDI framework, particularly specialized or sectoral meetings at the ministerial level or its equivalent, or inter-American committees, with the capacity to propose modifications necessary for their functioning within CIDI.
3. To renew its instruction to the labor and travel authorities, issued in resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXIX-O/98), to hold their ministerial-level meetings within the framework of the sectoral meetings of CIDI; and to urge them to present to CIDI, through CEPCIDI, the necessary amendments to their regulations so as to adapt their ministerial-level meetings to the existing mechanisms of the CIDI framework, in keeping with the priority of social development and creation of productive employment and the priority of sustainable development of tourism, respectively, of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001;
4. To amend the Statutes of CIDI as follows:
Article 5. Bodies of CIDI
CIDI shall have the following subsidiary bodies:
a. The Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI);
b. Nonpermanent specialized committees;
c. Inter-American committees; and
d. Other subsidiary bodies and the agencies established by the Council.
Article 15. Inter-American Committees of CIDI
CIDI may
establish, with the approval of two thirds of the member states, inter-American committees related to the
priority areas of the Strategic Plan. CIDI shall define in each case the
nature, purpose, structure, and operation of the committees that it
establishes.
Article
16. Purpose of the Inter-American
Committees
The
purpose of the inter-American committees shall be to lend continuity to the
sectoral dialogue on partnership for development in a given sector, follow up
on the mandates issued at the ministerial level, and identify multilateral
cooperation initiatives.
Article 17. Composition of the Inter-American
Committees
The
inter-American committees shall comprise sectoral authorities at the
policy-making and technical levels, accredited by the government of each member
state.
Article 18. Functions of the Inter-American
Committees
In
their areas of competence, the inter-American committees shall have the
following functions, among others, as appropriate:
a. Propose and promote partnership for
development policies;
b. Support the preparation
and follow-up of specialized or sectoral meetings at the ministerial or
equivalent level;
c. Contribute to the
preparation and implementation of inter-American partnership for development
programs;
d. Formulate guidelines
for drafting and presenting proposals for partnership for development projects
and activities, in keeping with the Strategic Plan for Partnership for
Development, the Statutes of the Special Multilateral Fund of the Inter-American
Council for Integral Development, the inter-American program concerned, and
other pertinent documents;
e. Define and implement
strategies for attracting and mobilizing additional resources to finance
partnership for development programs, projects, and activities;
f. Carry out other
functions that are consistent with their objectives, as well as those assigned
to them by the General Assembly or CIDI, or requested by CEPCIDI.
Article 16 shall become article 19, and so on.
5. To transmit this resolution to the trade authorities who, pursuant to CIDI/RES. 45 (III-O/98) and AG/RES. 1581 (XXVIII-O/98), have been asked for their opinions regarding the future role of the Special Committee on Trade, so that they may take it into account in making their recommendations and may decide on the advisability of amending Article 34 of the CIDI Statutes.
6. To change the names of the following subsidiary bodies of CIDI: “Social Development Committee” to “Inter-American Committee on Social Development”; “Special Inter-American Committee on Ports” to “Inter-American Committee on Ports”; and, depending on the recommendations of the trade authorities, “Special Committee on Trade” to “Inter-American Committee on Trade.”
7. To instruct the Permanent Council and CIDI to implement the mechanisms referred to in this resolution, within the resources available in the program-budget of the Organization, following the guidelines set forth below:
a. The annual contribution from the program-budget of the OAS for the ministerial meetings and the meetings of the inter-American committees shall alternate among sectors. In the year in which the Organization does not allocate resources to a specific sector, the authorities of that sector shall procure external sources of funding or use their own resources.
b. The General Secretariat shall provide the support services approved in the program-budget for a given sector, on the understanding that the General Secretariat personnel services for each sector would be limited by the ceiling on the number of posts financed by the program-budget each year. If other secretariat services are needed, they shall be financed by other resources, from specific funds or other funds of the sectoral authorities, or from external sources, in accordance with the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat and other applicable instruments.
8. CIDI shall ensure that the authorities of each sector enjoy the greatest possible degree of technical autonomy, in accordance with the provisions of the OAS Charter and other applicable instruments.
AG/RES. 1679 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM OF EDUCATION
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN Chapter I of the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas; the Inter-American Program of Education; resolution CIDI/RES. 50 (III-O/98), “CIDI and the Summits of the Americas,” and resolution CIDI/RES. 71 (IV-O/99) “Inter-American Program of Education”;
CONSIDERING:
The Declaration of Santiago, adopted by the Heads of State and Government at the Second Summit of the Americas, which identified education as a key issue for the Hemisphere in the processes of development and integration, and which instructed the Ministers of Education to meet in Brasilia to promote specific joint initiatives designed to improve access to education, with fairness, quality, relevancy, and effectiveness; and
That the Inter-American Program of Education, approved by the Ministers of Education at their meeting in Brasilia in July 1998, defined lines of action and priority projects in the area of cooperation to implement the commitments set forth in the Plan of Action of Santiago; and
BEARING IN MIND the advisability of strengthening the multilateral cooperation activities of the member states, within the CIDI framework, in fulfillment of the education initiatives of the Second Summit of the Americas,
RESOLVES:
1. To adopt, as an integral part of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, the Inter-American Program of Education, approved at the First Meeting of Ministers of Education held under the auspices of CIDI.
2. To instruct CIDI, through CEPCIDI, to study the possibility of convening in the year 2000 the Second Meeting of Ministers of Education, held under the auspices of CIDI, for the purpose of evaluating the implementation of Chapter I, "Education: The Key to Progress," of the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, and that of the Inter-American Program of Education, and to issue recommendations on the future of hemispheric cooperation in this area.
3. To instruct CIDI, through CEPCIDI, to consult with sectoral authorities of the member states to assess the necessity and advisability of establishing an Inter-American Committee on Education, composed of education authorities at the policy-making and technical levels, which would have, among other functions, the task of preparing for the Second Meeting of Ministers.
4. To instruct the Nonpermanent Specialized Committee on Education to give priority to the multilateral projects contained in the Inter-American Program of Education that when it prepares the report referred to in Article 21 of the Statutes of the Special Multilateral Fund of CIDI (FEMCIDI), on the partnership for development activities it recommends for execution in the year 2000.
5. To instruct CIDI to promote, through CEPCIDI, execution of the Inter-American Program of Education, with support from the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) and in coordination with the Unit for Social Development and Education.
AG/RES. 1680 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN resolution CIDI/RES. 58 (IV-O/99) of the Fourth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), which approved the Inter-American Science and Technology Program;
CONSIDERING that the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, adopted by the General Assembly through resolution AG/RES. 1511 (XXVII-O/97), establishes scientific development and the exchange and transfer of technology as one of the eight priorities of CIDI;
BEARING IN MIND:
That the OAS has decided to intensify its efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation activities on priority topics of common interest to promote integral and sustainable development; and
That the OAS has stated its commitment to strengthening partnership among its member states to promote development of their scientific and technological capabilities,
RESOLVES:
1. To adopt the Inter-American Science and Technology Program, approved by the Inter-American Council for Integral Development as an integral part of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001.
2. To instruct CIDI to promote the implementation of the Inter-American Science and Technology Program, with the assistance of the Inter-American Commission on Science and Technology (COMCYT), in coordination with the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development and the Office of Science and Technology.
AG/RES. 1681 (XXIX-O/99)
SPECIALIZED CONFERENCES
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN resolution CIDI/RES. 82 (IV-O/99) of the fourth regular meeting of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) on Inter-American Specialized Conferences within the CIDI framework; and
RECALLING resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXVIII-O/98), “Specialized Conferences,”
RESOLVES:
To extend by one year the mandate contained in operative paragraph 4 of resolution AG/RES. 1574 (XXVIII-O/98), assigned to CIDI, through CEPCIDI, which instructs “CEPCIDI to draft a new legal framework which defines the structure and functioning of the specialized conferences in the framework of partnership for development.”
AG/RES. 1682 (XXIX-O/99)
OAS NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION AND RESPONSE MECHANISMS
(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The documents “Natural Disaster Response Mechanisms within the Inter-American System” (CP/doc.3133/99 rev. 1) and “The OAS and Disaster Management” (CP/doc.3140/99);
The Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile in April 1998, in which the Heads of State and Government agreed to "mitigate the damages caused by the effects of 'El Niño' and other natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, and their impact on the economy and ecosystems, based on improved forecasting, prevention and response capacity, improved research and training methods to deal with natural hazards, and the application of science and technology to address the effects of climate variability on health, agriculture and water";
The Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World, prepared by the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction (1994), which concluded, inter alia, that disaster prevention “contributes to lasting improvement in safety and is essential to integrated disaster management”;
The Report of the Inter-American Dialogue on Disaster Reduction (1997), which concluded, inter alia, that international disaster reduction assistance should be “fully coordinated with national disaster reduction organizations and other relevant organizations involved in disaster reduction at the national, regional and local level, so that programs build on and contribute to existing national knowledge and experience”; and
The Miami Declaration on Disaster Reduction and Sustainable Development (1996), which noted that “disaster reduction and sustainable development are mutually supportive goals”;
CONSIDERING:
The severe loss of life, social dislocation, economic devastation, destruction of cultural heritage, and damage to property caused by natural disasters such as the El Niño phenomenon, Hurricanes Georges and Mitch, and the earthquake in Armenia, Colombia;
The long-term adverse impact of these natural disasters on the socioeconomic development of the countries and regions affected;
The importance of reducing the vulnerability of our countries to natural hazards or disasters through the appropriate use of sustainable development practices as an element of sustained economic and social development; and
The necessity of focusing OAS policy, strategic action, and development cooperation activities on reducing such vulnerabilities in the context of achieving sustainable development;
AWARE of scientific evidence on the likelihood of increasingly frequent and intense hurricanes and other recurring natural events, which will pose hazards in the Americas in the years to come; and
RECOGNIZING:
The value of the OAS as a forum for policy on strategic issues relating to inter-American disaster response mechanisms and reducing the vulnerability of economic and social infrastructure;
The need to strengthen the OAS role in disaster reduction, preparations for disasters, and disaster relief ;
The advisability of preventing the duplication of efforts in a context where other public, private, national, intergovernmental, and civil society organizations have acquired technical expertise in disaster management, especially disaster relief; and
The need to conclude the examination of the Report of the Working Group of the General Secretariat on the Revision of the Statutes of the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM) (CP/CAAP-2242/96 corr. 1),
RESOLVES:
1. To strengthen the planning and disaster management activities of the OAS so as to respond more effectively to the increasingly frequent natural disasters in the Hemisphere, in close coordination and cooperation with other national, regional, and international mechanisms.
2. To establish the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR) as the principal forum at the OAS for matters relating to natural disasters.
3. To provide that the principal task of
the IACNDR shall be to serve as the Organization’s leading forum for discussion
of issues relating to natural disasters, in coordination with the competent
national organizations; and that, in this regard, the IACNDR shall provide the
Permanent Council with strategic thinking, recommendations on initiatives
relating to natural disasters, and advice on methods of financing them, paying
special attention to policies and programs designed to reduce the vulnerability
of member states to natural disasters.
4. To provide that the IACNDR shall be chaired by the Secretary General of the OAS and comprise the Chair of the Permanent Council, the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, the President of the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), the Director General of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Secretary General of the Pan-American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH), the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Executive Secretary of the Inter American Council for Integral Development (CIDI).
5. To instruct the Secretary General, when he considers it appropriate, to invite representatives of national, regional, or international organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), the Inter-American Defense Board in accordance with AG/RES. 1240 (XXIII-O/93), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), and the Central America Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters (CEPREDENAC) to participate in the IACNDR, and to take into consideration the initiatives and actions being carried out at the regional cooperation level.
6. To request that the IACNDR provide the Permanent Council, no later than November 30, 1999, with specific recommendations on :
a. The most effective manner in which the OAS, with the involvement of the competent national, regional, and international bodies, should participate in the implementation of policies and programs for mutual assistance during emergencies declared by member states, taking into account the effectiveness of OAS natural disaster response mechanisms in the wake of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch and the earthquake in Armenia, Colombia;
b. The advisability of utilizing PADF warehouse facilities for storage of emergency relief items, in coordination with national, regional, and international mechanisms and other entities of the inter-American system;
c. The advisability of strengthening activities under the White Helmets Initiative, established within the OAS, to assist countries affected by natural disasters;
d. The advisability of establishing and periodically replenishing a permanent emergency fund to assist countries affected by natural disasters;
e. The most appropriate mechanism by which the OAS should assist member states affected by natural disasters in preparing and implementing natural disaster reconstruction programs with international financing;
f. The reinvigoration of OAS/UN cooperation mechanisms in disaster-related areas;
g. The most advantageous use of OAS advocacy, public information, and outreach activities, including training in early warning programs and disaster planning workshops;
h. The implementation of appropriate mechanisms for mobilizing the resources necessary to carry out the recommendations of the IACNDR.
7. To provide that the IACNDR shall meet at least quarterly, and that its Chair shall have the discretion to call IACNDR meetings on a more frequent basis as necessary.
8. To instruct the Secretary General to create an internal committee on natural disasters, composed of personnel from all areas of the General Secretariat responsible for the different aspects of disaster reduction, management, and relief, in order to support the activities to be carried out by the IACNDR.
9. To instruct the IACNDR to evaluate the Report of the Working Group of the General Secretariat on the Revision of the Statutes of the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM) in order to present the necessary recommendations to the thirtieth regular session of the OAS General Assembly.
10. To promote the exchange of technical and scientific personnel in the area of research into adverse events, through internships, seminars, conferences, or exchange programs among institutions of OAS member states, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources.
11. To request that the Permanent Council prepare and approve draft Statutes for the IACNDR.
AG/RES. 1683 (XXIX-O/99)
CONGRATULATIONS TO ECUADOR AND PERU
ON SIGNING THE PEACE AGREEMENTS
(Resolution adopted at the second plenary session,
held on June 7, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
BEARING IN MIND:
The historic importance for the community of American nations and, especially, for the peoples of Ecuador and Peru, of the integral and definitive settlement of their disputes with the signing of the Presidential Act, together with the set of Agreements signed in Brasilia on October 26, 1998, pursuant to the Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries Protocol, signed in Rio de Janeiro on January 29, 1942 and the Declaration of Peace of Itamaraty of February 1995;
That the agreements signed were ratified by Congress in the Republic of Ecuador and in the Republic of Peru, and that the governments of the two countries exchanged the corresponding instruments of ratification, thereby reaffirming their commitment to peace;
That on May 13, 1999, following the formal placement of the last boundary marker, the presidents of Ecuador and Peru signed a joint declaration and their ministries of foreign affairs exchanged notes to solemnly record the entry into force of the peace agreements,
RESOLVES:
1. To congratulate the peoples and governments of the Republic of Ecuador and Peru on concluding the peaceful and definitive settlement of their differences, on terminating the demarcation of their border, and on the entry into force of the comprehensive peace agreements, all of which augurs well for cooperation and mutual benefits for both peoples.
2. To recognize the valuable contribution made by the governments of the Argentine Republic, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Chile, and the United States of America, as the guarantor countries of the Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries Protocol of Río de Janeiro, in helping to preserve peace and supporting efforts to achieve the agreements that were reached.
3. To urge the above-mentioned countries, as well as the regional and international community, to continue and increase their support for the agreements signed by Ecuador and Peru, particularly the agreement on border integration, development, and neighborliness, which, as its programs and projects are implemented, will facilitate closer ties of friendship and mutual benefits for both nations.
4. To commend in particular Presidents Jamil Mahuad and Alberto Fujimori for their determined efforts to achieve peace and for their clear-sighted vision of the future, which will help the Hemisphere to start the new millennium in an atmosphere of resolute cooperation and concern for the common good.
PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
(Resolution adopted at the third plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the debate of the foreign ministers and heads of delegation on the reshaping of democracy and its consolidation as a challenge for the new millennium;
BEARING IN MIND the principles and ideals of freedom, peace, democracy, social justice, integral development, and solidarity embodied in the OAS Charter;
REAFFIRMING the Santiago Commitment to Democracy and the Renewal of the Inter-American System, whereby the ministers of foreign affairs and heads of delegation declared their decision to adopt efficacious, timely, and expeditious procedures to ensure the promotion and defense of democracy, in keeping with the OAS Charter;
REITERATING that extreme poverty and economic and social inequalities are inimical to the consolidation and stability of democracy in the Hemisphere, as highlighted in the Declaration of Nassau;
RECALLING the Declaration of Principles of the First Summit of the Americas (1994) and the Plan of Action of Santiago of the Second Summit of the Americas (1998), which proclaim the importance of strengthening democratic mechanisms in the Hemisphere; and
CONSIDERING that it is necessary to promote and strengthen in its entirety the democratic system of government,
RESOLVES:
1.
To instruct the
Permanent Council, through the Working Group on Representative Democracy and in
conjunction with the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, within the framework
of the Charter and of international law, to examine and promote a seminar for
analysis and reflection on participatory democracy.
2.
To request the
governments of the member states to submit their comments on the matter to the
Working Group on a date to be determined by the Permanent Council.
3.
To request the
Permanent Council to present a report on the Working Group’s conclusions and
recommendations, which may lead to the adoption by the Organization of a
declaration on the enhancement of democratic institutions in the Hemisphere.
AG/RES. 1685 (XXIX-O/99)
MODERNIZATION OF THE
OAS AND RENEWAL OF
THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council on Modernization of the OAS and Renewal of the Inter-American System (AG/doc.3825/99),
CONSIDERING that, as a consequence of the dialogue regarding renewal of the inter-American system that took place during the twenty-eighth regular session, the foreign ministers and heads of delegation adopted resolution AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98), in which they instructed the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to:
a. “Identify[ing] the aspects with regard to which it is necessary to foster and intensify the process of strengthening and modernizing the OAS by defining strategies, procedures, and concrete actions with a view to promoting a comprehensive renewal of the inter-American system”;
b.
Study “the organization and working methods of the councils and their
subsidiary organs, as well as the General Secretariat, with a view to
streamlining their work so they may carry out more efficiently and effectively
the mandates entrusted to them”; and
c.
Adopt “such organizational and structural measures as they consider
suitable in pursuit of the aims set forth” in the preceding paragraph;
BEARING IN MIND the mandate issued to the ministers by the Heads of State and Government of the member states in the Declaration of Santiago, adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas, to examine ways to strengthen and modernize hemispheric institutions, in particular the Organization of American States;
BEARING IN MIND ALSO resolution
AG/RES. 1449 (XXVII-O/97), “OAS Contribution to the Summits of the Americas
Process”; and
RECALLING that in the resolution cited above [AG/RES. 1603
(XXVIII-O/98)] the General Secretariat was requested to give its full support
to the implementation of this resolution,
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the Permanent Council and to thank it for presenting it.
2. To
renew the mandates contained in AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98) and to instruct the
Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this resolution to the
General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session, especially regarding the
completion of consideration of already initiated items; rationalization of the
work of the General Secretariat in order to fulfill the mandates entrusted to
it more efficiently and effectively; and the definition of strategies,
procedures, and concrete actions–including funding and coordination with other
inter-American organizations–with a view to promoting integral renewal of the
inter-American system.
AG/RES. 1686 (XXIX-O/99)
INTER-AMERICAN AGENCY FOR COOPERATION
AND DEVELOPMENT
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
Resolution AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98), “Modernization of the OAS and Renewal of the Inter-American System”;
The report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3825/99) on the activities undertaken by the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS (GETC);
The report of the Subgroup established by the GETC to prepare the draft Statutes of the IACD and the draft Statutes annexed to the report (AG/doc.3825/99 add. 1); and
Resolution CIDI/RES. 54 (IV-O/99), “Creation of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development” (IACD); and
CONSIDERING:
That the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) recommended to the General Assembly, through resolution CIDI/RES. 54 (IV-O/99), the creation of the IACD as a subsidiary body of CIDI, for the purpose of promoting, coordinating, and facilitating the implementation of the partnership for development projects and activities established within the framework of the CIDI Strategic Plan;
That the GETC established a working subgroup to prepare the draft Statutes of the IACD and the necessary draft amendments to the CIDI Statutes, which prepared the preliminary draft Statutes and submitted to the GETC a report on the status of its work; and
That
the establishment of the IACD will also require amendment of the CIDI Statutes,
the Statutes of the Special Multilateral Fund of CIDI (FEMCIDI), the Rules of
Procedure of CIDI and its subsidiary bodies, and the General Standards to
Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat, and the adoption of new
measures relating to staff, budget, operations, and administration of the IACD,
RESOLVES:
1. To
approve the establishment, in accordance with the recommendation of CIDI set
forth in resolution CIDI/RES. 54 (IV-O/99), of the Inter-American Agency for
Cooperation and Development (IACD) as a subsidiary body of CIDI, subject to the
adoption and entry into force of the Statutes of the IACD and other pertinent
instruments.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council to
convene, in the course of this year and preferably by October 31, 1999, a
special session of the General Assembly at OAS headquarters to consider and
approve the Statutes of the IACD and the necessary amendments to the CIDI
Statutes, the FEMCIDI Statutes, the Rules of Procedure of CIDI and its
subsidiary bodies, and the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the
General Secretariat.
3. To establish a Special Subcommittee of the Permanent Executive Committee of CIDI (CEPCIDI), whose purpose will be to prepare the instruments relevant to the IACD, taking into account the report of the working subgroup and the other documents referred to in this resolution, which instruments shall be considered and approved in a special session of the General Assembly convened to that end.
4. To instruct the Secretary General to
present by August 30, 1999, for consideration by the Special Subcommittee, a
work plan and proposals regarding rules on staff, budget, operations, and
administration necessary for the operation of the IACD.
AG/RES.
1687 (XXIX-O/99)
PLACE AND DATE OF THE
THIRTY-THIRD REGULAR SESSION
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT Articles 47 and 48 of the
Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly concerning the holding of its
regular sessions and determination of the sites thereof; and
CONSIDERING:
That, in resolution AG/RES. 939 (XVIII-O/88), it
recommended that the first Monday in June of each year be set as the opening
date for its regular sessions; and
That the Government of Ecuador offered to host the
thirty-third regular session of the General Assembly in the year 2003, stating
that it had decided to make this offer as a reaffirmation of its commitment to
the purposes and principles of the Charter of the Organization of American States
and as evidence of its decision to continue to participate actively in current
efforts to modernize the Organization,
RESOLVES:
1. To
thank the Government of Ecuador for its generous offer to host the thirty-third
regular session of the General Assembly and to accept that offer.
2. To determine that the thirty-third
session of the General Assembly will start on the first Monday in June in the
year 2003.
AG/RES. 1688 (XXIX-O/99)
VENUE AND DATE OF THE THIRTY-FOURTH REGULAR
SESSION
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT Articles 47 and 48 of the
Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly concerning the holding of its
regular sessions and determination of the venues thereof;
CONSIDERING:
That, in resolution AG/RES. 939 (XVIII-O/88), it
recommended that the first Monday in June of each year be set as the opening
date for its regular sessions; and
That the Government of Chile offered to host the
thirty-fourth regular session of the General Assembly in the year 2004, stating
that it had decided to make this offer as a reaffirmation of its commitment to
the purposes and principles of the Charter of the Organization of American
States and as evidence of its decision to continue to participate actively in
current efforts to modernize the Organization,
RESOLVES:
1. To
thank the Government of Chile for its generous offer to host the thirty-fourth
regular session of the General Assembly and to accept that offer.
2.
To determine that the thirty-fourth regular session of the General
Assembly will start on the first Monday in June in the year 2004.
AG/RES. 1689 (XXIX-O/99)
TRADE AND INTEGRATION IN THE AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council and the Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council of Integral Development on the implementation of AG/RES. 1581 (XXVIII-O/98);
RECALLING:
Resolutions AG/RES. 1581 (XXVIII-O/98), AG/RES. 1516 (XXVII-O/97), AG/RES. 1430 (XXVI-O/96), CIDI/RES. 63 (IV-O/99), and CIDI/RES. 46 (III-O/98), entitled “Trade and Integration in the Americas”; AG/RES. 1534 (XXVIII-O/98), “Support for and Follow-up to the Summits of the Americas Initiatives”; AG/RES. 1438 (XXVI-O/96), “Relationship between the Special Committee on Trade and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development”; AG/RES. 1349 (XXV-O/95), “Inter-American Summits Management”; and resolution AG/RES. 1220 (XXIII-O/93), “Establishment of the Special Committee on Trade (SCT),” in which member states noted that the Organization of American States is an appropriate hemispheric forum for dialogue on trade matters;
BEARING IN MIND the Declaration of Santiago of the Second Summit
of the Americas in which the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere
directed their ministers responsible for international trade to begin
negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and reaffirmed their
determination to conclude the negotiation of the FTAA no later than 2005, and
in which they also reaffirmed their determination to make concrete progress by
the end of this century, and expressed their appreciation for the significant
contribution of the Tripartite Committee;
TAKING NOTE with satisfaction of the Ministerial
Declaration of San José adopted by the Ministers of Trade at their fourth
Ministerial Meeting in San José, Costa Rica, in which they recommended to their
Heads of State and Government that they initiate negotiation of the FTAA in
accordance with the objectives, principles, structure, venue and other
decisions set forth in their Declaration,
and acknowledged and again expressed their appreciation to the Tripartite
Committee for the technical and logistical support given during the preparatory phase of the FTAA negotiations and
requested that the respective institutions of the Tripartite Committee continue
to provide the appropriate existing resources necessary to respond positively
to requests for technical support from FTAA entities, including reallocation
for this purpose if necessary;
CONSIDERING that economic diversification and
integration, trade liberalization and market access constitute one of the
priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development
1997-2001 and that the process of creating the FTAA is a fundamental element in
this context; and
REAFFIRMING the commitment of the Organization of
American States to support the process of free trade and economic integration
in the Hemisphere and to reiterate the importance of the contribution of the
General Secretariat and in particular the Trade Unit to this process,
RESOLVES:
1.
To take note of the
report of the Permanent Council and the Permanent Executive Committee of the
Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI) on the implementation
of resolution AG/RES. 1581 (XXVIII-O/98), “Trade and Integration in the
Americas.”
2.
To instruct CIDI to
consider the results of the consultations with the Chair of the Special
Committee on Trade (SCT) and the member states of the SCT in accordance with
the instructions given to CEPCIDI by CIDI in CIDI/RES. 63 (IV-O/99) paragraphs
1, 2, and 3 and to recommend appropriate action to the General Assembly at its
thirtieth regular session.
3. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue providing analytical support and technical assistance through the Trade Unit, and conducting related studies as part of the Tripartite Committee or as requested by the respective bodies established in the Ministerial Declaration of San José, Costa Rica under the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process.
4. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue providing technical assistance related to FTAA issues to member countries that request it, particularly smaller economies, as requested by the Trade Ministers in the Ministerial Declaration of San José.
5. To instruct CIDI to support projects, programs, and activities related to the priority area of economic diversification and integration, trade liberalization, and market access, in keeping with the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001.
6. To reiterate its support for the collaborative activities on trade and integration of the Tripartite Committee, and to recognize the contribution to those activities of other specialized regional, subregional and multilateral organizations and of regional and subregional institutions.
7.
To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to provide the
appropriate existing resources necessary to respond positively to requests for
technical support from FTAA entities, including reallocation for this purpose
if necessary.
8. To instruct the General Secretariat to submit, by November 15, 1999, the 2000 annual Work Plan of activities of the Trade Unit to the SCT for its consideration and approval, or, in the event that the SCT does not meet, to CEPCIDI for approval ad referendum of the next regular meeting of CIDI.
9. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue providing semi-annual written progress reports on the activities of the Trade Unit, including information on its level of budget execution to the Permanent Council and CEPCIDI for their review.
10. To recognize the important achievements of the Foreign Trade Information System (SICE) and in particular the measures taken to broaden its trade and trade-related information and its client base and to support its continued operations, specifically the establishment of an official Internet home page for the FTAA process.
11. To instruct the General Secretariat to ensure coordination between the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development and the appropriate offices of the General Secretariat, particularly the Trade Unit, in their activities supporting the implementation of this resolution.
12. To direct that the mandates in the preceding paragraphs be executed within the allocated resources approved in the program-budget and other resources.
13. To request the Permanent Council and CEPCIDI to report to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1690 (XXIX-O/99)
THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAS AND OAS CONFERENCE FACILITIES
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
BEARING IN MIND:
That the number of conferences and meetings held at the OAS or under OAS auspices has grown considerably in recent years and is likely to continue to grow;
That previous plans to modernize the buildings and conference facilities of the Organization to accommodate more conferences and meetings did not go forward due to lack of adequate financing;
That the Museum of the Americas Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Smithsonian Institution and the OAS are working together in connection with the development of a new Museum of the Americas on a suitable site within the headquarters property of the OAS;
That the proposed Museum will require conference space and other facilities which are compatible with and complement the OAS need for similar facilities as well as for protection and preservation of the OAS collection of art, artifacts, and historic documents; and
That the development of the proposed Museum presents a unique and immediate opportunity for expanding OAS conference facilities;
HAVING SEEN:
Permanent Council document CP/doc.3110/98, which details the inadequacy of current OAS conference facilities and outlines plans to modernize and upgrade them; and
Permanent Council document CP/doc.3148/98 which further details the inadequacies of current OAS buildings and facilities and the need to address their refurbishment,
RESOLVES:
1. To endorse the efforts of the sponsors of the proposed Museum of the Americas to develop the Museum project within the headquarters property of the OAS.
2. To authorize the Secretary General to cooperate with the corresponding entities to establish a new Museum of the Americas and proceed with planning, preparation, and any necessary legal arrangements, including agreements, terms and conditions with regard to use of OAS properties for such purposes, and the inclusion in such plans of adequate exhibit space for OAS use, as well as enlarged conference facilities for the OAS and, as appropriate, for joint use by the OAS and the new museum, subject to final approval of such plans and arrangements by the Permanent Council.
3. To authorize the Permanent Council, upon a request by a member state and with the prior recommendation of the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, to consider and take a decision as an exception to Article 66 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat on the application of some or all of that member state’s payment of quota arrears for a specific project or activity if it is in keeping with the priorities of strengthening and modernizing the Organization.
4. To authorize the Secretary General to enter into agreements with member states to receive contributions on a voluntary basis for the purposes of developing improved OAS conference facilities and refurbishing other existing OAS headquarters properties, and to establish a capital fund for building improvements for these purposes.
5. To instruct the Permanent Council through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs to seek other ways to augment funds for building improvements and to facilitate the construction of the new OAS conference facilities in conjunction with the building of the new Museum of the Americas.
6. To instruct the General Secretariat to examine the scheduled fees charged for use of OAS facilities as a means to augment funds to finance improvements to the current OAS facilities.
7. To instruct the Secretary General to report to the Permanent Council by no later than six months from the adoption of this Resolution, and at intervals not exceeding six months, on progress, including fundraising, towards building the new museum and conference facilities.
AG/RES. 1691 (XXIX-O/99)
INTERNATIONAL ABDUCTION OF MINORS BY ONE OF THEIR
PARENTS
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The Hague Convention on the civil
aspects of international child abduction of October 25, 1980;
The Inter-American Convention on the International Return of Children of July 15, 1989;
The Convention on the Rights of the Child of November 20, 1989;
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women of December 18, 1979;
The Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, on April 19, 1998;
Resolution CD/RES. 10 (73-R/98) on the abduction of children by one of their parents, adopted by the 73rd. Meeting of the Directing Council of the Inter-American Children’s Institute (IIN), on October 24, 1998;
CONSIDERING:
That the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere, in their stated intention of redoubling efforts to continue reforms designed to improve the living conditions of the peoples of the Americas and achieve a mutually supportive community, undertook in the Plan of Action of the Second Summit of the Americas in Santiago, in April 1998, to pay priority attention to, among other rights, the right to custody of minors;
That at its 73rd Regular Meeting the Directing Council of the IIN expressed its repudiation of the abduction of minors by one of their parents as a grave violation of the rights of the child; and
NOTING the efforts made by the Secretary General of the OAS with respect to this item,
RESOLVES:
1. To express its grave concern at the existence of cases of international abduction of minors by one of their parents.
2. To request the Directing Council of the Inter-American Children’s Institute to continue consideration of the item regarding the international abduction of minors by one of their parents at its 74th Regular Meeting, as a matter of shared concern.
3.
To suggest that the
items on the international abduction of minors by one of their parents and right of custody over minors be closely
examined at the Eighteenth Pan American Child Congress to be held in Buenos
Aires, Argentina, in September 1999.
4. To
request the Inter-American Juridical Committee to issue an opinion, as it was
asked to do in resolution CD/RES. 10 (73-R/98), adopted by the 73rd. Regular
Meeting of the Directing Council of the Inter-American Children’s Institute
(IIN).
5. To encourage the member states that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, or accede to the Hague Convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction of October 25, 1980.
AG/RES. 1692 (XXIX-O/99)
THE FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY SITUATION OF THE ORGANIZATION
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the difficult financial and budgetary situation facing the Organization;
CONSIDERING that urgent thought must be given to finding effective solutions to that situation;
BEARING IN MIND the need for the Organization to comply effectively with the mandates from its political organs as well as from the Summits of the Americas; and
NOTING that one of the principal responsibilities of the General Assembly, as the supreme organ of the Organization, is to approve the program-budget of the Organization and set the quotas of the member states, in line with Article 54.e of the Charter,
RESOLVES:
1. To request the Permanent Council to analyze, with the help of the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS, all factors affecting the Organization’s financial and budgetary situation, with a view to proposing measures, and to draw up and adopt the corresponding recommendations.
2. To ask the Permanent Council to report
to the thirtieth regular session of the General Assembly on implementation of
this resolution.
AG/RES. 1693 (XXIX-O/99)
THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES AND RETURNEES IN THE AMERICAS
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING:
That, through its resolutions AG/RES. 774 (XV-O/85), AG/RES. 838 (XVI-O/86), AG/RES. 951 (XVIII-O/88), AG/RES. 1021 (XIX-O/89), AG/RES. 1039 (XX-O/90), AG/RES. 1040 (XX-O/90), AG/RES. 1103 (XXI-O/91), AG/RES. 1170 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1214 (XXIII-O/93), AG/RES. 1273 (XXIV-O/94), AG/RES. 1336 (XXV-O/95), AG/RES. 1416 (XXVI-O/96), AG/RES. 1504 (XXVII-O/97), and AG/RES. 1602 (XXVIII-O/98), it expressed its concern for those persons in the Americas who, as refugees and returnees, require protection of their fundamental rights and the provision of humanitarian assistance;
That the 1951 Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, taken together with its 1967 Protocol, is justly cited as the Magna Carta of refugee law, representing the culmination of an effort by the international community, begun with the League of Nations in 1921, to establish a system of basic rights that would ensure protection of refugees;
That the fundamental importance of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol was reaffirmed by the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993; and that its continuing validity has been reiterated by the Executive Committee of the Program of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as in several resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the General Assembly of the Organization of American States;
That, in this context, attention should be called also to the importance of the 1984 Cartagena Declaration; and
That on October 8, 1998, the UNHCR launched a worldwide campaign to promote new accessions to the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees, as well as to the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on Reduction of Statelessness; and that this worldwide campaign will conclude in the year 2000, when the UNHCR celebrates its 50th anniversary,
RESOLVES:
1.
To urge those
member states that have not yet done so to accede to and ratify the
international instruments on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons,
thereby contributing to universal application of these conventions.
2.
To reiterate the
importance of the adoption by states of domestic law to ensure the effective
application of these international instruments, taking into consideration the
international standards set by case law, government practice, and regional and
international doctrine on the subject.
3.
To request the OAS
Secretary General to present a progress report on the matter to the General
Assembly at its next regular session, to be held in Canada in the year 2000.
AG/RES. 1694 (XXIX-O/99)
DIVIDENDS FOR PEACE
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the document “Dividends for Peace” (AG/CP/doc.610/99);
BEARING IN MIND that, among the purposes of the OAS, established in its Charter, are the strengthening of peace, democracy, and security in the Hemisphere and the achievement of “an effective limitation of conventional weapons that will make it possible to devote the largest amount of resources to the economic and social development of the Member States”;
OBSERVING the
statements made in the Declaration and Plan of Action of the Summit of the
Americas held in Miami in 1994, of the Summit of the Americas held in Santiago,
Chile, in 1998, and of the Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development
held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, in 1996, on preserving and
strengthening the community of democracies of the Americas, promoting
prosperity through economic integration and free trade, eradicating poverty and
discrimination in our Hemisphere, guaranteeing sustainable development, and
conserving our natural environment for future generations;
EXPRESSING its intention to continue considering appropriate steps to move forward in the effective limitation and control of conventional weapons in the region; and
CONSIDERING:
That profound transformations in the international arena over the past 10 years have been accompanied by changes in the concept of security, which now includes matters of human security in the social, economic, cultural, and environmental areas;
That new circumstances of cooperation and peace in the Hemisphere have made it possible to consider reallocating resources and directing them, insofar as possible, to the economic and social development areas to which each society attaches priority; and
That Article 3.f of the Charter of the Organization states that “the elimination of extreme poverty is an essential part of the promotion and consolidation of representative democracy and is the common and shared responsibility of the American States,”
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the Permanent Council to begin consideration of the topic “Dividends for Peace,” through a mechanism it deems pertinent;
2. To request the member states to transmit to the Permanent Council their comments on the topic “Dividends for Peace.”
3. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its next regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 1695 (XXIX-O/99)
WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION,
XENOPHOBIA, AND RELATED INTOLERANCE
(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
CONSIDERING that the OAS Charter reaffirms, as one of the Organization’s underlying principles, that the American states proclaim the fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race, nationality, creed, or sex;
BEARING IN MIND that the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 52/111, decided to convene a world conference against racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance;
RECALLING that, in its resolution, the UN General Assembly requested governments and regional organizations to assist the preparatory committee, undertake reviews and submit recommendations concerning the conference and the preparations therefor to the preparatory committee through the Secretary General, and to participate actively in the conference; and called upon states and regional organizations to hold national or regional meetings;
RECALLING resolutions AG/RES. 1404 (XXVI-O/96) and AG/RES. 1478 (XXVII-O/97), in which the General Assembly urged the member states to guarantee and exercise special vigilance regarding the human rights of indigenous populations, minors at risk, refugees, persons with disabilities, migrant workers and their families, detainees and prisoners, marginalized or minority groups, and victims of racial discrimination; and urged them to create conditions that will foster harmony and tolerance among those groups and all sectors of society; and
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the experience acquired by the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights since its creation, as well as its work in the field of human rights, particularly in the organization of regional meetings in preparation for the 1993 Vienna Conference on Human Rights and for the Beijing World Conference on Women,
RESOLVES:
1. To urge the member states to support
the efforts to organize the world conference against racism and racial
discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
2. To acknowledge the efforts of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in support of regional preparations for the world conference against racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
3. To invite member states to cooperate with the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in its efforts to assist in the preparatory work for the inter-American meeting preceding the world conference.
4. To request the Secretary General of the Organization of American States to transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
AG/RES. 1696 (XXIX-O/99)
STRENGTHENING
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
(Resolution
adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held
on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
REAFFIRMING the commitment of the member states to the consolidation and strengthening of representative democracy;
CONSIDERING:
That the member states of the OAS have displayed leadership in recent years in the establishment or reestablishment of representative democracy, and recalling the Declaration of Managua and the statements on representative democracy made by the Heads of State and Government at the Summits of the Americas held in Miami and Santiago, Chile;
That the Organization of American States, through resolution AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91), established a mechanism to help restore representative democracy when it has been interrupted, and this mechanism has proved effective in a number of crisis situations;
That, as established in the Charter, the elimination of extreme poverty is an essential part of the consolidation and strengthening of representative democracy and is the common and shared responsibility of the American states; and
That the principle of nonintervention entails, in accordance with the Charter, the duty of the American states to cooperate fully among themselves independently of the nature of their political, economic, and social systems; and
BEARING IN MIND the broad, significant dialogue of foreign ministers and heads of delegation on the occasion of the twenty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly on reshaping democracy on the threshold of the new millennium,
RESOLVES:
1. To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to examine, within the framework of the principles of the Charter, of international law including the Charter of the United Nations, and of the relevant declarations and resolutions of the Organization, measures to consolidate and strengthen representative democracy.
2. To request the Permanent Council to elicit comments on the matter from the member states.
3. To instruct the Permanent Council to present a report in this regard to the General Assembly by no later than the thirtieth regular session.
AG/RES. 1697 (XXIX-O/99)
THE PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE
ORGANIZATION FOR 2000,
QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND FOR 2000
(Resolution
adopted at the fourth plenary session,
held
on June 8, 1999)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN:
The proposed program-budget of the Organization for fiscal year 2000, submitted by the Secretary General (AG/CP/doc.606/99);
The report of the Preparatory Committee on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 2000 (AG/doc.3828/99);
The
April 29, 1999 note of the Secretary General (CP/doc.3196/99) regarding
fulfillment of the mandates contained in AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98), “Quota
Payments”; and
The April 29, 1999 note of the Secretary General commenting on some issues dealt with by the Board of External Auditors in their report “Audit of Accounts and Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 1998.” (CP/doc. 3197/99);
CONSIDERING:
That, in accordance with Articles 54 and 55 of the Charter, the General Assembly approves the pogram-bdget of the Organization and establishes the bases for fixing the quota that each Government is to contribute to the maintenance of the Organization, taking into account the ability to pay of the respective countries and their determination to contribute in an equitable manner;
That the Organization has defined its political priorities, which must be addressed, within the limits of its available resources;
That it is necessary to establish a maximum number of posts and positions in the Organization for a period of two years;
That the need to modify the
distribution of posts is urgent so that the General Secretariat will have a
pyramid of posts that enables it to carry out the mandates entrusted to it
under Articles 107 and 111 of the Charter by the General Assembly, the Meeting
of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the Councils, for the
purpose of promoting economic, social, legal, educational, and cultural
relations among all the member states of the Organization, with special
emphasis on cooperation for the elimination of extreme poverty;
That significant savings may be realized by reducing the General Secretariat’s travel costs; and
That, pursuant to Article 60.b of the Charter, the Preparatory Committee transmitted to the General Assembly a working document on the proposed program-budget of the Organization for 2000;
CONCERNED:
About the failure of some member states to pay their quotas in full and on a timely basis;
About the significant and continuing real decrease in the expenditure budget, coupled with increases in fixed costs due to inflation, among other factors, which have resulted in a significant decline in available resources for political mandates;
About the significant and continuing decline in the amount of support obtained for OAS technical cooperation and development programs in recent years that threatens to retard progress in achieving the objectives underlying the creation of CIDI; and
About the Organization’s urgent need for greater financial resources to comply with its political mandates,
RESOLVES:
1. To approve and authorize the
program-budget of the Organization for the fiscal period starting January 1
through December 31, 2000, financed by the following funds at the corresponding
levels:
2000
(US$1,000)
a. Regular Fund 78,000.0
b. Voluntary Fund 10,156.1
for a total
appropriation of US$88,156,100, except with respect to programs relating to
personnel and other contractual obligations to which reference is made in the
General Provisions of this resolution.
2. To approve the specific levels of
appropriation by chapter, program, and subprogram with the recommendations,
instructions, or mandates as detailed below:
|
|
|
2000 (US $1,000) |
|||
CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS |
|
11,958.1 |
||||
10A |
General Assembly (thirtieth regular session) Administrative Tribunal sessions |
|
180.6 |
|||
10B |
|
79.9 |
||||
10D |
Board of External Auditors |
|
164.0 |
|||
10E |
Secretariat of the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation and the Permanent Council |
|
1,076.3 |
|||
10G |
Secretariat of Conferences and Meetings |
|
4,879.0 |
|||
10H |
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission |
|
173.4 |
|||
10K |
Meetings of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development |
|
144.4 |
|||
10L |
Regional and subregional programming meetings |
|
105.0 |
|||
10N |
Non-permanent Specialized Committees |
|
137.9 |
|||
10O |
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
|
2,987.5 |
|||
10P |
Inter-American Juridical Committee |
|
446.9 |
|||
10Q |
Inter-American Court of Human Rights |
|
1,114.9 |
|||
10V |
Inter-American Committees |
|
83.0 |
|||
10W |
OAS Conferences (see Table C) |
|
300.1 |
|||
10X |
Unprogrammed (see Table C) |
85.2 |
||||
|
|
|||||
CHAPTER 2 – SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER
ENTITIES |
5,471.1 |
|||||
20A |
Inter-American Defense Board |
|
2,159.2 |
|||
20B |
Inter-American Children’s Institute |
|
1,528.3 |
|||
20C |
Inter-American Commission of Women |
|
931.4 |
|||
20D |
Pan American Development Foundation |
|
173.5 |
|||
20J |
Inter-American Telecommunication Commission |
|
678.7 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
CHAPTER
3 – EXECUTIVE
OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT |
9,316.0 |
|||||
30A |
Office of the Secretary General |
|
2,094.7 |
|||
30B |
Office of the Assistant Secretary General |
|
991.7 |
|||
30C |
Department of Public Information |
|
1,980.1 |
|||
30D |
Department of Legal Services |
|
869.0 |
|||
30E |
Office of the Inspector General |
|
695.1 |
|||
30F |
Museum of Art of the Americas |
|
521.3 |
|||
30G |
Columbus Memorial Library |
|
993.9 |
|||
30H |
Protocol Office |
|
453.8 |
|||
30I |
Official Functions (SG/SGA/PC) |
|
53.3 |
|||
30J |
Office of External Relations |
|
328.8 |
|||
30K |
Office of Summit Follow-up |
|
334.3 |
|||
CHAPTER 4 – UNITS
AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES |
21,424.0 |
|||||
40A |
Trade Unit |
|
1,730.8 |
|||
40B |
Foreign Trade Information System (SICE) |
|
429.6 |
|||
41C |
Unit for the Promotion of Democracy |
|
3,493.2 |
|||
42D |
Intersectoral Tourism Unit and Caribbean Tourism Organization |
|
729.2 |
|||
43A |
Executive Office of CICAD |
|
1,653.4 |
|||
44E |
Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment |
|
1,430.2 |
|||
46F |
Unit for Social Development and Education |
|
1,381.4 |
|||
47G |
Office of Cultural Affairs |
|
565.9 |
|||
48H |
Office of Science and Technology |
|
961.6 |
|||
49M |
Department of Fellowships |
|
9,048.7 |
|||
CHAPTER
5 – EXECUTIVE
SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT |
2,779.1 |
|||||
55A |
Office of the Executive Secretary for Integral Development |
|
648.9 |
|||
56A |
Division of Operations and Technical Support Services |
|
769.1 |
|||
57A |
Division of Planning and Evaluation |
|
889.1 |
|||
58A |
Division of Program and Project Coordination |
|
472.0 |
|||
59X |
Unprogrammed CIDI Cooperation Activities |
0.0 |
||||
CHAPTER 6 – OFFICES
OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES |
6,298.4 |
|||||
60G |
Offices of the General Secretariat in the Member States |
|
6,298.4 |
|||
|
|
|||||
CHAPTER 7 – SECRETARIAT
FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS |
1,984.4 |
|||||
70A |
Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Legal Affairs |
|
411.9 |
|||
70B |
Department of International Law |
|
970.8 |
|||
70G |
Secretariat of the Administrative Tribunal |
|
192.4 |
|||
70H |
Department of Cooperation and Legal Dissemination |
|
409.3 |
|||
CHAPTER 8 – SECRETARIAT
FOR MANAGEMENT |
9,839.3 |
|||||
80M |
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Management |
|
315.9 |
|||
80N |
Department of Financial Services |
|
2,053.1 |
|||
80P |
Department of Program-Budget |
|
1,144.9 |
|||
80Q |
Department of Material Resources |
|
2,997.4 |
|||
80R |
Department of Human Resources |
|
1,571.3 |
|||
80S |
Department of Management Systems and Information Technology |
|
1,756.7 |
|||
|
|
|||||
CHAPTER 9 – COMMON
SERVICES |
8,929.6 |
|||||
90B |
Computer equipment and supplies |
|
411.5 |
|||
90C |
Equipment and supplies |
|
45.4 |
|||
90D |
Building management and maintenance |
|
4,482.5 |
|||
90E |
General insurance |
|
250.5 |
|||
90F |
Post audits |
|
125.0 |
|||
90G |
Recruitment and transfers |
|
168.8 |
|||
90H |
Terminations and repatriations |
|
976.4 |
|||
90I |
Home leave |
|
192.6 |
|||
90J |
Education and language allowance, medical examinations |
|
127.0 |
|||
90K |
Pension for retired executives and health and life Insurance for retired employees |
|
1,801.6 |
|||
90L |
Human resources development |
|
121.4 |
|||
90M |
Contribution to the Staff Association |
|
10.0 |
|||
90Q |
Management systems |
|
216.9 |
|||
1. To set the quotas with which the governments of the member states will finance the program-budget of the Organization for the year 2000 corresponding to the Regular Fund, in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1073 (XX-O/90) and the decision of January 19, 1955 (doc.C-I-269) on income tax reimbursements, using the scale and amounts shown in Table B.
2. To finance the year 2000 budget of the Regular Fund with the quotas of the member states, estimated interest income, rental income from space in the General Secretariat Building, and administrative and technical support contributions from the voluntary and specific funds, and all other miscellaneous income.
3. To authorize contributions for the voluntary fund portion of the program-budget of the Organization at the level approved for programming in the year 2000 by CEPCIDI for execution in 2001.
III. GENERAL PROVISIONS
A. BUDGETARY
1. Personnel
a. To continue the ceiling set for 1999-2000 on the number of posts financed by the program-budget of the Organization at 587.
b.
To urge the Secretary General to observe the limit of 50% for personnel costs in object 1.a of the total of
the Regular Fund and Voluntary Fund appropriations.
c.
To instruct the Secretary General to ensure that, in executing the
budget, early separations, transfers, and reassignment of personnel are carried
out in such a manner as to not adversely affect the approved programs.
To urge member states to pay in full their quota arrears, or alternatively they submit to the General Secretariat a payment plan for their arrears before January 1, 2000.
3. Specific Funds
a. In order to respond to the External
Auditor's observation regarding the need to secure contributions from the
Specific Funds to support the administrative and technical support incurred by
the Regular Fund and FEMCIDI in relation to those Funds, to modify Article 72
of the General Standards as follows:
Article
72. Bank deposits and interest. The Secretary General shall designate the
banking institutions in which the funds of the Organization shall be deposited. Interest received on such funds shall be
considered as income of the corresponding fund; however, for each specific fund
which is not governed by a donor
agreement dictating how interest on the fund shall be credited, all such
interest shall be credited to the corresponding
fund (i.e. Regular Fund or FEMCIDI), for use in the administration of specific
funds. The annual Financial Report of the General Secretariat to the
Permanent Council shall state how the interest from each Specific Fund has been
credited.
This modification shall remain in force indefinitely until otherwise modified or derogated.
b. To instruct the General Secretariat to complete a cost accounting system in order to document the costs of support services to specific funds so that once those costs have been documented and established, the Permanent Council may authorize charges for those services.
4. Financing Meetings Away from Headquarters with the OAS Regular Fund
To reiterate to the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat that, pursuant to AG/RES. 3 (XXV-E/98), the Regular Fund of the Organization will not be used to finance meetings in member states unless the member state is current in its payment of quotas to the Regular Fund or has established a schedule of payments with the General Secretariat and is complying with that schedule.
5. Travel
To instruct the Secretary General to continue with the policy to reduce travel costs and, whenever possible, reserve airline tickets at least 28 days in advance to ensure the lowest possible fares.
6. Conference
Services
To instruct the General Secretariat to ensure that the resources assigned to the activities included in subprogram 10G Secretariat of Conferences and Meetings provide equitable services in support of all the bodies of the OAS, in accordance with resolution CP/RES. 718 (1150/98).
7. Contributions to the Regular Fund
for Technical Supervision and Administrative Support from FEMCIDI and Other
Funds
To request the Permanent Council to present its conclusions to the next regular session of the General Assembly on the study requested by resolution AG/RES. 1531 (XXVII-O/97) on comparing the administrative costs for technical supervision and administrative support to FEMCIDI and other funds of the OAS with those of other organizations and international cooperation agencies since 1990.
To instruct the General Secretariat to ensure that the resources assigned to the activity “Studies” included in subprogram 70B are utilized for studies by recognized experts on specific issues of juridical interest which will be defined by the Permanent Council in keeping with resolution AG/RES. 1471 (XXVII-O/97).
9. Offices in the Member States
To instruct the Secretary General to redouble his efforts to negotiate with the governments of the member states a 15% reduction in the overall cost of the national offices, where appropriate, taking into account, in particular, the costs of rent and security.
10. Overtime
To instruct the Secretary General to pay overtime in compensatory leave, as much as possible, in accordance with Staff Rule 103.8(e).
11. Unused Appropriations
To instruct the Permanent Council and the Secretary General that beginning January 1, 2000 unused appropriations may only be re-appropriated if they are fully funded with cash at the time they lapse into the Reserve Subfund. Unused appropriations unfunded at the time they lapse may not be used for any purpose. For programs specifically funded with unused appropriations, the Secretariat must show the Permanent Council that at the time the appropriations lapsed they were fully backed with cash. If that cannot be shown, then the Secretary General must ask the Permanent Council for specific authority to disburse from current funds.
12. Tributes to Departing Permanent
Representatives
To implement the proposal of the Secretary General contained in CP/doc.3153/99 in order to reduce the cost of tributes to the departing permanent representatives.
13. Use of Conference and Meeting Facilities at Headquarters
a. To instruct the General Secretariat that during April and May priority should be given to meetings at headquarters related to preparation of the General Assembly. Other meetings should be scheduled before April 1 or after the regular session of the General Assembly.
b. To ask the General Secretariat to work closely with the chairs of the councils and their subsidiary bodies in order to implement the necessary measures to maximize the use of resources, both budgetary and time, and report to the councils on these on a quarterly basis.
14. Performance Contracts
To instruct the General Secretariat to submit to the Permanent Council every six months a report on CPR's funded by the Regular Fund. This report should include the source of funds used, the name of the CPR, the time frame of the contract, the amount of the contract, the area of the Secretariat requiring the CPR and a detailed justification for the need as well as a statement why on-board personnel cannot accomplish the task for which the CPR is needed.
The Permanent Council, through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, should examine the report on the CPRs, along with the results of the Working Group on Personnel Policy, in light of what the Organization should be doing and the mandates assigned to it.
15. Renovation Plan for the General Secretariat Building
To authorize the Permanent Council to approve a plan for the renovation of the General Secretariat Building that would permit more effective and efficient use of space by the General Secretariat and improve the value of the space that could be rented to third parties. The cost of the renovations shall be financed by a renewed mortgage on the building and this mortgage shall be amortized with the current level of appropriation for the mortgage on the building together with rental income from the space rented.
16. Américas Magazine
a. To instruct the General Secretariat to report all proceeds from the sale of the magazine during the year 2000 as income of the Organization and to include it in the proposed program-budget.
b. To authorize the General Secretariat to use any contribution it receives for the Magazine to publish it in the four official languages of the Organization, as a matter of priority.
c. To instruct the General Secretariat to give prior approval for all the magazine’s activities that requires use of the franking privilege.
d. To reaffirm that the editorial policy of the magazine shall be established by its Editorial Board, which shall ensure that the magazine, as an official publication of the OAS, gives particular attention to promoting the activities of the Organization, as outlined in Article 111 of the Charter.
17. OAS
Conferences (10W)
a. To approve funding for items 2 and 4 of Subprogram 10W for 2000 (see Table C), requesting the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS to study the criteria for convoking future meetings referred to in these items.
b. To also instruct the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS to establish a policy framework for the frequency, duration, and services offered to ministerial meetings held under the auspices of the OAS.
18. Unprogrammed Funds (10X)
To instruct the Permanent
Council to establish criteria for the use of subprogram 10X, Unprogrammed Funds
(see Table C).
1.
Honoraria and Per Diem
a. To
maintain the sum of $150 a day for honoraria paid to members of the following
bodies entitled to such compensation: Administrative Tribunal, Board of
External Auditors, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Inter-American
Juridical Committee, and Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
b. The General Secretariat is authorized to pay the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission per diem and honorarium from the approved budget of the Commission in accordance with rates and rules of the General Secretariat when the Chairman is performing work of the Commission. However, a President serving as a “Resident President at Headquarters” will not be paid per diem for days worked in Washington, D.C., if he or she is domiciled within the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area or had established residence there within one year prior to assuming office.
2. Permanent Observer States
To invite the Permanent Observer states to contribute to the financing of the programs and projects of the Organization.
3. Program-Budget
for 2001
a.
To instruct the Secretary General to submit a draft program-budget for
the Regular Fund for the year 2001 at an indicative level no higher than
US$80,000,000, provided that the General Secretariat can finance it with
revenues as defined in Section II.2. of this resolution. Should the General Secretariat obtain
financing over this approved level, these funds should go into the Reserve
Subfund until it reaches the level prescribed by the General Standards.
b.
To instruct the Secretary General and Preparatory Committee of the
General Assembly to include in the proposed program-budget an unprogrammed
amount for the funding of new mandates arising out of the plenary of the
General Assembly.
c.
To instruct the Preparatory Committee to require that all resolutions
transmitted to the plenary of the General Assembly for approval be accompanied
by an opinion on the corresponding budgetary implications so that those
implications may be duly considered in the Organization’s year 2001 budget. In this regard, the General Secretariat is
requested to instruct the technical secretaries at the committees to complete
the required forms, developed by the General Secretariat in consultation with
the CAAP, and forward them, along with the proposed resolution, to the Department
of Program-Budget for consideration by CAAP, not later than 30 days before the
General Assembly or by such earlier date as may be established by the
Preparatory Committee. Any resolution not previously reviewed
by the Preparatory Committee or by such other committee that may be established
for that purpose may not be considered by the plenary unless accompanied by the
corresponding opinion on budgetary implications.
d.
To instruct the Secretary General, in preparing the program-budget, to
consult with the Permanent Council regarding the criteria and basic information
to be contained in the draft program-budget in accordance with Article 88 of
the General Standards.
e.
To urge the member states to make a decision on whether to adopt a new
scale of quotas in accordance with resolution AG/RES. 1594 (XXVIII-O/98).
f.
To instruct the Secretary General to take immediate action towards the
formulation of the program-budget of the Organization, on the basis of the
corresponding mandates and programs, and to inform the Permanent Council,
through its Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs, on a quarterly
basis as to its progress.
Table A
PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 2000,
QUOTAS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VOLUNTARY FUND, 2000
(US$1,000)
BUDGETARY APPROPRIATIONS |
TOTAL
|
REGULAR FUND |
VOLUNTARY FUND |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1. |
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER ORGANS |
11,958.1 |
11,958.1 |
|
2. |
SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES |
5,471.1 |
5,471.1 |
|
3. |
EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT |
9,316.0 |
9,316.0 |
|
4. |
UNITS AND SPECIALIZED OFFICES |
21,424.0 |
21,424.0 |
|
5. |
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT |
12,935.2 |
2,779.1 |
10,156.1 |
6. |
OFFICES OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT IN THE MEMBER STATES |
6,298.4 |
6,298.4 |
|
7. |
SECRETARIAT FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS |
1,984.4 |
1,984.4 |
|
8. |
SECRETARIAT FOR MANAGEMENT |
9, 839.3 |
9,839.3 |
|
9. |
COMMON SERVICES |
8,929.6 |
8,929.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS |
88,156.1 |
78,000.0 |
10,156.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
Table A ‑ (cont.)
PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR 2000.
FINANCING THE PROGRAM-BUDGET OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE YEAR 2000
(US$1,000)
1. Regular Fund |
Total |
Regular Fund |
Voluntary Fund |
a. Quotas |
73,727.1 |
73,727.1 |
|
b. Contribution for technical supervision and administrative support |
1,523.4 |
1,523.4 |
|
c. Income from rental of buildings |
1,200.0 |
1,200.0 |
|
d. Other income |
1,549.5 |
1,549.5 |
|
2. Voluntary
Fund a. Pledges received |
|
|
|
b. Pledges pending |
10,156.1 |
|
10,156.1 |
TOTAL |
88,156.1 |
78,000.0 |
10,156.1 |
|
|
|
|
AG01249E03
THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES
The Organization of
American States (OAS) is the world's oldest regional organization, dating back
to the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington,
D.C., from October 1889 to April 1890.
At that meeting the establishment of the International Union of American
Republics was approved. The Charter of
the OAS was signed in Bogotá in 1948 and entered into force in December 1951.
The Charter was subsequently amended by the Protocol of Buenos Aires, signed in
1967, which entered into force in February 1970; by the Protocol of Cartagena
de Indias, signed in 1985, which entered into force in November 1988; by the
Protocol of Managua, signed in 1993, which entered into force on January 29,
1996; and by the Protocol of Washington, signed in 1992, which entered into
force on September 25, 1997. The OAS
currently has 35 member states. In addition, the Organization has granted
permanent observer status to over 44 states, as well as to the European Union.
The essential
purposes of the OAS are: to strengthen
peace and security in the Hemisphere; to promote and consolidate representative
democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention; to prevent
possible causes of difficulties and to ensure peaceful settlement of disputes
that may arise among the member states; to provide for common action on the
part of those states in the event of aggression; to seek the solution of
political, juridical, and economic problems that may arise among them; to
promote, by cooperative action, their economic, social, and cultural
development; and to achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons
that will make it possible to devote the largest amount of resources to the
economic and social development of the member states.
The Organization of
American States accomplishes its purposes by means of: the General Assembly;
the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs; the Councils (the
Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development); the
Inter-American Juridical Committee; the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights; the General Secretariat; the specialized conferences; the specialized
organizations and other entities established by the General Assembly.
The General Assembly
holds regular sessions once a year. Under special circumstances it meets in
special session. The Meeting of Consultation is convened to consider urgent
matters of common interest and to serve as Organ of Consultation under the
Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty), the main
instrument for joint action in the event of aggression. The Permanent Council
takes cognizance of such matters as are entrusted by the General Assembly or
the Meeting of Consultation and implements the decisions of both organs when
their implementation has not been assigned to any other body, it monitors the
maintenance of friendly relations among the member states and the observance of
the standards governing General Secretariat operations and also acts
provisionally as Organ of Consultation under the Rio Treaty. The General
Secretariat is the central and permanent organ of the OAS. The headquarters of
both the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat is in Washington, D.C.
MEMBER STATES: Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas (Commonwealth
of), Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica (Commonwealth of), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname,
Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
1. In the “additional information” column, States Parties may wish to provide voluntary additional information such as designation, model, or any other information considered relevant. States Parties may also wish to use the “additional information” column to explain or clarify aspects relevant to the acquisition.
States Parties that do not have anything to report should file a “nil” report clearly stating that no imports have taken place in any of the categories during the calendar year.
2. In the “additional information” column, States Parties may wish to provide voluntary additional information such as designation, model, or any other information considered relevant. States Parties may also wish to use the “additional information” column to explain or clarify aspects relevant to the export.
States Parties that do not have anything to report should file a “nil” report clearly stating that no exports have taken place in any of the categories during the calendar year.
3. In the “additional information” column, States Parties may wish to provide voluntary additional information such as designation, model, or any other information considered relevant. States Parties may also wish to use the “additional information” column to explain or clarify aspects relevant to the acquisition.
4. In the “additional information” column, States Parties may wish to provide voluntary additional information such as designation, model, or any other information considered relevant. States Parties may also wish to use the “additional information” column to explain or clarify aspects relevant to the acquisition.
1. When the Statute of the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD) comes into force, this mandate will correspond to the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI).