REF = REFERENCE 					INST = TYPE OF INSTRUMENT
D = DECLARATION 					RA = RATIFICATION
R = RESERVATION 					AC = ACCEPTANCE
INFORMA = INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE TREATY		AD = ACCESSION

*DECLARATIONS/RESERVATIONS/DENUNCIATIONS/WITHDRAWALS

C-17: CONVENTION ON THE INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE 

1.-CANADA                           
 

Note: (IN EFFECT ONE YEAR AFTER DE DATE OF NOTIFICATION - DECEMBER 24, 1998)

DATE: 12-24-97                                                                              
                                                                            

  Ministre des Affaires étrangŠres
  Minister of Foreign Affairs
  Ottawa, Canada K1A OG2                                                        

  His Excellency Cesar Gaviria Trujillo                                         

  Secretary General of the Organization of American States                      

  17th and Constitution Avenue, N.W. Room 20 Washington, D.C.                   
20006                                                                         

Excellency:                                                                   
                                                                              
           During the past three years, the Canadian government has           
been forced to take drastic measures in order to rectify an                   
extremely serious economic situation, characterized by growing                
budget deficits and burgeoning public debt. This has entailed                 
severe cuts in domestic government programs which have demanded               
significant sacrifices by all Canadians. The spending cuts also               
affected government commitments at the international level,                   
where the imperative of allocating increasingly scarce                        
resources to growing international obligations made some tough                
choices unavoidable. These entailed a review of our membership                
in all international organizations. We had to take difficult                  
decisions to terminate funding to a number of organizations                   
both in and outside of the hemisphere, including, I regret, the               
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.                      
                                                                              
           In Canada's case, a cessation of funding dictates                  
termination of membership. A fundamental principle of our                     
foreign policy is that Canadian participation in the                          
multilateral system entails obligations as well as benefits. If               
Canada is not able any longer to fulfill its financial                        
obligations to any international organization, then we prefer                 
to withdraw, rather than become a neglectful or delinquent                    
member.                                                                       
                                                                              
           Our intention to terminate membership in the Institute was         
communicated to its Director General, Dr. Carlos Aquino                       
Gonzalez, in early October, 1996. We emphasized to Dr. Aquino                 
that termination of Canadian membership should not be                         
interpreted as a sign of dissatisfaction with his leadership.                 
On the contrary, Canada has witnessed with approval the                       
significant reforms  which the Institute has undergone since                  
Dr. Aquino took office, in 1994, and was pleased to support his               
re-election as Director General early this year. At that time,                
we also advised Dr. Aquino of our intention to remain a full                  
member of IICA until December 31, 1998, in order to give the                  
Institute a prudent amount of time to adjust to this new                      
reality.                                                                      
                                                                              
           Consequently, and as prescribed by Article 36 of the               
Convention on the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on                 
Agriculture, please consider this letter as official notice by                
Canada of denunciation of that Convention, to become effective                
one year after the date of its delivery to the General                        
Secretariat of the Organization of American States.                           
                                                                              
           Our withdrawal from IICA in no way signifies a lessening           
of our commitment to multilateralism in the hemisphere, as                    
evidenced by Canada's active role in and support for the                      
Organization of American States, as well as our continuing                    
engagement in the Summit of the Americas process. 

                            
Sincerely,                                                                    
Lloyd Axworthy                                                                
                                                                              
                                                                              
Minister of Foreign Affairs                                                   
September 11, 1998                                                            
                                                                              
His Excellency Cesar Gaviria Trujillo                                         
Secretary General                                                             
Organization of American States                                               
17th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.                                     
Room 20 Washington, D.C. 20006 U.S.A.                                         
                                                                              
                                                                              
Excellency:                                                                   
                                                                              
In a letter dated December 24, 1997, I informed you that as                   
part of an effort to rectify a serious fiscal situation and                   
pursuant to a review of its memberships in all international                  
organizations, Canada had been obliged to take the difficult                  
decision to terminate its funding to the Inter-American                       
Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). As you know,                 
this cessation of funding dictated a termination of membership                
and in my letter I gave official notice that Canada was                       
denouncing the Convention on IICA, as prescribed by Article 36,               
and would remain a member only until December 31, 1998.                       
                                                                              
In the months since the announcement of our withdrawal, the                   
Government of Canada has received numerous representations from               
fellow members of the Organization of American States                         
requesting that it re-visit the decision. These representations               
made it clear that Canada's absence from IICA, along with the                 
loss of its financial contribution, would have an important                   
negative impact in the area of agricultural cooperation                       
throughout the hemisphere, especially on nations having small                 
economies. It was also noted that, since joining IICA in 1972,                
Canada has become an important provider of technical assistance               
in agriculture.                                                               
                                                                              
Canada has been impressed by the substance of these arguments.                
In consequence, I am pleased to be able to inform you that                    
Canada has favourablyre-considered the issue of its withdrawal                
from IICA. This letter will serve as official notice of the                   
revision of our earlier decision to denounce the Convention on                
IICA and as confirmation of our intention to maintain full                    
membership in the organization. This decision has already been                
informally communicated to the Director General of IICA, Dr.                  
Carlos Aquino Gonzalez, by the Canadian Ambassador to Costa                   
Rica, Mr. Daniel Goodleaf.                                                    
                                                                              
Canada remains firmly committed to reform and renewal of the                  
inter-American system and, in the months since the announcement               
of our intention to withdraw, we have been pleased to note that               
the process of reform initiated by Dr. Aquino since taking                    
office in 1994 has continued. With the decision to maintain our               
membership, Canada looks forward to working closely with Dr.                  
Aquino to ensure that the organization continues to adapt to                  
meet the challenges of providing effective and efficient                      
assistance to agricultural producers and processors throughout                
the hemisphere in the years ahead.                                            
                                                                              
Sincerely,                                                                    
Lloyd Axworthy