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PERMANENT COUNCIL
OEA/Ser.G
CP/INF.3964/96
rev. 1
6
October 1997
Original:
Spanish
CHARTER OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
As
amended by the Protocol of Buenos Aires in 1967,
by
the Protocol of Cartagena de Indias in 1985,
by
the Protocol of Washington in 1992
and
by the Protocol of Managua in 1993
(Published
on a provisional basis)
EXPLANATORY
NOTE
In the
view of the General Secretariat, the integrated text of the Charter of the
Organization of American States—including the amendments thereto contained in
the Protocol of Washington, which has been in force since September 25,
1997—should be published for information purposes and as a preliminary document
of the Permanent Council, without prejudice to its subsequent publication in
the "Treaty Series."
CHARTER
OF
THE ORGANIZATION
OF
AMERICAN STATES
As
amended by the Protocol of Amendment to the Charter of the Organization of
American States "Protocol of Buenos Aires", signed on February 27,
1967, at the Third Special Inter‑American Conference,
by
the Protocol of Amendment to the Charter of the Organization of American States
"Protocol of Cartagena de Indias", approved on December 5, 1985, at
the Fourteenth Special Session of the General Assembly,
by
the Protocol of Amendment to the Charter of the Organization of American States
"Protocol of Washington", approved on December 14, 1992, at the
Sixteenth Special Session of the General Assembly,
and
by the Protocol of Amendment to the Charter of the Organization of American
States "Protocol of Managua", adopted on June 10, 1993, at the
Nineteenth Special Session of the General Assembly.
GENERAL
SECRETARIAT
ORGANIZATION
OF AMERICAN STATES
WASHINGTON,
D.C., 1997
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
Preamble .................................................................................................................. 1
Part
One
Chapter I Nature
and purposes.................................................................................... 2
Chapter II Principles.................................................................................................... 3
Chapter III Members.................................................................................................... 4
Chapter IV Fundamental
rights and duties of States......................................................... 6
Chapter V Pacific
settlement of disputes....................................................................... 8
Chapter VI Collective
security ................................................................................. 8
Chapter VII Integral
Development.................................................................................. 9
Part
Two
Chapter VIII The
organs................................................................................................ 15
Chapter IX The
General Assembly............................................................................... 16
Chapter X The
Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs......................... 18
Chapter XI The
councils of the Organization................................................................. 20
Chapter XII The
Permanent Council of the Organization................................................. 21
Chapter XIII The
Inter‑American Council for Integral Development................................. 24
Chapter XIV The
Inter‑American Juridical Committee..................................................... 26
Chapter XV The
Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights...................................... 28
Chapter XVI The
General Secretariat............................................................................. 28
Chapter XVII The
Specialized Conferences...................................................................... 32
Chapter XVIII The
Specialized Organizations.................................................................... 32
Part
Three
Chapter XIX The United Nations.................................................................................... 33
Chapter XX Miscellaneous
provisions............................................................................ 34
Chapter XXI Ratification
and entry into force.................................................................. 35
Chapter XXII Transitory
provisions.................................................................................. 36
CHARTER
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES*
IN THE
NAME OF THEIR PEOPLES, THE STATES REPRESENTED AT THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN STATES,
Convinced
that the historic mission of America is to offer to man a land of liberty and a
favorable environment for the development of his personality and the
realization of his just aspirations;
Conscious
that that mission has already inspired numerous agreements, whose essential
value lies in the desire of the American peoples to live together in peace and,
through their mutual understanding and respect for the sovereignty of each one,
to provide for the betterment of all, in independence, in equality and under
law;
Convinced
that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability,
peace and development of the region;
Confident
that the true significance of American solidarity and good neighborliness can
only mean the consolidation on this continent, within the framework of
democratic institutions, of a system of individual liberty and social justice
based on respect for the essential rights of man;
Persuaded
that their welfare and their contribution to the progress and the civilization
of the world will increasingly require intensive continental cooperation;
Resolved
to persevere in the noble undertaking that humanity has conferred upon the
United Nations, whose principles and purposes they solemnly reaffirm;
Convinced
that juridical organization is a necessary condition for security and peace
founded on moral order and on justice; and
In
accordance with Resolution IX of the Inter‑American Conference on Problems
of War and Peace, held in Mexico City,
HAVE
AGREED
upon
the following
*Signed in Bogotá in 1948 and amended by the Protocol of
Buenos Aires in 1967, by the Protocol of Cartagena de Indias in 1985, by the
Protocol of Washington in 1992, and by the Protocol of Managua in 1993. In force as of September 25, 1997.
CHARTER
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
PART
ONE
Chapter
I
NATURE
AND PURPOSES
Article
1
The
American States establish by this Charter the international organization that
they have developed 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. Within the United Nations, the Organization of American States is
a regional agency.
The
Organization of American States has no powers other than those expressly
conferred upon it by this Charter, none of whose provisions authorizes it to
intervene in matters that are within the internal jurisdiction of the Member
States.
Article
2
The
Organization of American States, in order to put into practice the principles
on which it is founded and to fulfill its regional obligations under the
Charter of the United Nations, proclaims the following essential purposes:
a) To strengthen the peace and security of
the continent;
b) To promote and consolidate
representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of
nonintervention;
c) To prevent possible causes of difficulties
and to ensure the pacific settlement of disputes that may arise among the
Member States;
d) To provide for common action on the part
of those States in the event of aggression;
e) To seek the solution of political,
juridical, and economic problems that may arise among them;
f) To promote, by cooperative action, their
economic, social, and cultural development;
g) To eradicate extreme poverty, which
constitutes an obstacle to the full democratic development of the peoples of
the hemisphere; and
h) 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.
Chapter
II
PRINCIPLES
Article
3
The
American States reaffirm the following principles:
a) International law is the standard of
conduct of States in their reciprocal relations;
b) 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;
c) Good faith shall govern the relations
between States;
d) The solidarity of the American States
and the high aims which are sought through it require the political
organization of those States on the basis of the effective exercise of
representative democracy;
e) Every State has the right to choose,
without external interference, its political, economic, and social system and
to organize itself in the way best suited to it, and has the duty to abstain
from intervening in the affairs of another State. Subject to the foregoing, the American States shall cooperate
fully among themselves, independently of the nature of their political,
economic, and social systems;
f) 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;
g) The American States condemn war of
aggression: victory does not give
rights;
h) An act of aggression against one
American State is an act of aggression against all the other American States;
i) Controversies of an international
character arising between two or more American States shall be settled by peaceful
procedures;
j) Social justice and social security are
bases of lasting peace;
k) Economic cooperation is essential to the
common welfare and prosperity of the peoples of the continent;
l) The American States proclaim the
fundamental rights of the individual without distinction as to race,
nationality, creed, or sex;
m) The spiritual unity of the continent is
based on respect for the cultural values of the American countries and requires
their close cooperation for the high purposes of civilization;
n) The education of peoples should be
directed toward justice, freedom, and peace.
Chapter
III
MEMBERS
Article
4
All
American States that ratify the present Charter are Members of the
Organization.
Article
5
Any new
political entity that arises from the union of several Member States and that,
as such, ratifies the present Charter, shall become a Member of the
Organization. The entry of the new
political entity into the Organization shall result in the loss of membership
of each one of the States which constitute it.
Article
6
Any other
independent American State that desires to become a Member of the Organization
should so indicate by means of a note addressed to the Secretary General, in
which it declares that it is willing to sign and ratify the Charter of the
Organization and to accept all the obligations inherent in membership,
especially those relating to collective security expressly set forth in
Articles 28 and 29 of the Charter.
Article
7
The
General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Permanent Council of the
Organization, shall determine whether it is appropriate that the Secretary
General be authorized to permit the applicant State to sign the Charter and to
accept the deposit of the corresponding instrument of ratification. Both the recommendation of the Permanent
Council and the decision of the General Assembly shall require the affirmative
vote of two thirds of the Member States.
Article
8
Membership
in the Organization shall be confined to independent States of the Hemisphere
that were Members of the United Nations as of December 10, 1985, and the
nonautonomous territories mentioned in document OEA/Ser. P, AG/doc.1939/85, of
November 5, 1985, when they become independent.
Article
9
A Member
of the Organization whose democratically constituted government has been
overthrown by force may be suspended from the exercise of the right to
participate in the sessions of the General Assembly, the Meeting of
Consultation, the Councils of the Organization and the Specialized Conferences
as well as in the commissions, working groups and any other bodies established.
a) The power to suspend shall be exercised
only when such diplomatic initiatives undertaken by the Organization for the
purpose of promoting the restoration of representative democracy in the
affected Member State have been unsuccessful;
b) The decision to suspend shall be adopted
at a special session of the General Assembly by an affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the Member States;
c) The suspension shall take effect
immediately following its approval by the General Assembly;
d) The suspension notwithstanding, the
Organization shall endeavor to undertake additional diplomatic initiatives to
contribute to the re-establishment of representative democracy in the affected
Member State;
e) The Member which has been subject to
suspension shall continue to fulfill its obligations to the Organization;
f) The General Assembly may lift the
suspension by a decision adopted with the approval of two-thirds of the Member
States;
g) The powers referred to in this article
shall be exercised in accordance with this Charter.
Chapter IV
FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF STATES
Article
10
States
are juridically equal, enjoy equal rights and equal capacity to exercise these
rights, and have equal duties. The
rights of each State depend not upon its power to ensure the exercise thereof,
but upon the mere fact of its existence as a person under international law.
Article
11
Every
American State has the duty to respect the rights enjoyed by every other State
in accordance with international law.
Article
12
The
fundamental rights of States may not be impaired in any manner whatsoever.
Article
13
The
political existence of the State is independent of recognition by other
States. Even before being recognized,
the State has the right to defend its integrity and independence, to provide
for its preservation and prosperity, and consequently to organize itself as it
sees fit, to legislate concerning its interests, to administer its services,
and to determine the jurisdiction and competence of its courts. The exercise of these rights is limited only
by the exercise of the rights of other States in accordance with international
law.
Article
14
Recognition
implies that the State granting it accepts the personality of the new State,
with all the rights and duties that international law prescribes for the two
States.
Article
15
The right
of each State to protect itself and to live its own life does not authorize it
to commit unjust acts against another State.
Article 16
The
jurisdiction of States within the limits of their national territory is
exercised equally over all the inhabitants, whether nationals or aliens.
Article
17
Each
State has the right to develop its cultural, political, and economic life
freely and naturally. In this free
development, the State shall respect the rights of the individual and the
principles of universal morality.
Article
18
Respect
for and the faithful observance of treaties constitute standards for the
development of peaceful relations among States. International treaties and agreements should be public.
Article
19
No State
or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any
reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State. The foregoing principle prohibits not only
armed force but also any other form of interference or attempted threat against
the personality of the State or against its political, economic, and cultural
elements.
Article
20
No State
may use or encourage the use of coercive measures of an economic or political
character in order to force the sovereign will of another State and obtain from
it advantages of any kind.
Article
21
The
territory of a State is inviolable; it may not be the object, even temporarily,
of military occupation or of other measures of force taken by another State,
directly or indirectly, on any grounds whatever. No territorial acquisitions or special advantages obtained either
by force or by other means of coercion shall be recognized.
Article
22
The
American States bind themselves in their international relations not to have
recourse to the use of force, except in the case of self‑defense in
accordance with existing treaties or in fulfillment thereof.
Article
23
Measures
adopted for the maintenance of peace and security in accordance with existing
treaties do not constitute a violation of the principles set forth in Articles
19 and 21.
Chapter
V
PACIFIC
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
Article
24
International
disputes between Member States shall be submitted to the peaceful procedures
set forth in this Charter.
This
provision shall not be interpreted as an impairment of the rights and
obligations of the Member States under Articles 34 and 35 of the Charter of the
United Nations.
Article
25
The
following are peaceful procedures:
direct negotiation, good offices, mediation, investigation and
conciliation, judicial settlement, arbitration, and those which the parties to
the dispute may especially agree upon at any time.
Article
26
In the
event that a dispute arises between two or more American States which, in the
opinion of one of them, cannot be settled through the usual diplomatic
channels, the parties shall agree on some other peaceful procedure that will
enable them to reach a solution.
Article
27
A special
treaty will establish adequate means for the settlement of disputes and will
determine pertinent procedures for each peaceful means such that no dispute
between American States may remain without definitive settlement within a
reasonable period of time.
Chapter
VI
COLLECTIVE
SECURITY
Article
28
Every act
of aggression by a State against the territorial integrity or the inviolability
of the territory or against the sovereignty or political independence of an
American State shall be considered an act of aggression against the other
American States.
Article
29
If the
inviolability or the integrity of the territory or the sovereignty or political
independence of any American State should be affected by an armed attack or by
an act of aggression that is not an armed attack, or by an extracontinental
conflict, or by a conflict between two or more American States, or by any other
fact or situation that might endanger the peace of America, the American
States, in furtherance of the principles of continental solidarity or
collective self‑defense, shall apply the measures and procedures
established in the special treaties on the subject.
Chapter
VII
INTEGRAL
DEVELOPMENT
Article
30
The
Member States, inspired by the principles of inter‑American solidarity
and cooperation, pledge themselves to a united effort to ensure international
social justice in their relations and integral development for their peoples,
as conditions essential to peace and security.
Integral development encompasses the economic, social, educational,
cultural, scientific, and technological fields through which the goals that
each country sets for accomplishing it should be achieved.
Article
31
Inter‑American
cooperation for integral development is the common and joint responsibility of
the Member States, within the framework of the democratic principles and the
institutions of the inter‑American system. It should include the economic, social, educational, cultural,
scientific, and technological fields, support the achievement of national
objectives of the Member States, and respect the priorities established by each
country in its development plans, without political ties or conditions.
Article
32
Inter‑American
cooperation for integral development should be continuous and preferably
channeled through multilateral organizations, without prejudice to bilateral
cooperation between Member States.
The
Member States shall contribute to inter‑American cooperation for integral
development in accordance with their resources and capabilities and in
conformity with their laws.
Article 33
Development
is a primary responsibility of each country and should constitute an integral
and continuous process for the establishment of a more just economic and social
order that will make possible and contribute to the fulfillment of the
individual.
Article
34
The
Member States agree that equality of opportunity, the elimination of extreme
poverty, equitable distribution of wealth and income and the full participation
of their peoples in decisions relating to their own development are, among
others, basic objectives of integral development. To achieve them, they likewise agree to devote their utmost
efforts to accomplishing the following basic goals:
a) Substantial and self‑sustained
increase of per capita national product;
b) Equitable distribution of national
income;
c) Adequate and equitable systems of
taxation;
d) Modernization of rural life and reforms
leading to equitable and efficient land‑tenure systems, increased
agricultural productivity, expanded use of land, diversification of production
and improved processing and marketing systems for agricultural products; and
the strengthening and expansion of the means to attain these ends;
e) Accelerated and diversified
industrialization, especially of capital and intermediate goods;
f) Stability of domestic price levels,
compatible with sustained economic development and the attainment of social
justice;
g) Fair wages, employment opportunities,
and acceptable working conditions for all;
h) Rapid eradication of illiteracy and
expansion of educational opportunities for all;
i) Protection of man's potential through
the extension and application of modern medical science;
j) Proper nutrition, especially through
the acceleration of national efforts to increase the production and
availability of food;
k) Adequate housing for all sectors of the
population;
l) Urban conditions that offer the
opportunity for a healthful, productive, and full life;
m) Promotion of private initiative and
investment in harmony with action in the public sector; and
n) Expansion and diversification of
exports.
Article
35
The
Member States should refrain from practicing policies and adopting actions or
measures that have serious adverse effects on the development of other Member
States.
Article
36
Transnational
enterprises and foreign private investment shall be subject to the legislation
of the host countries and to the jurisdiction of their competent courts and to
the international treaties and agreements to which said countries are parties,
and should conform to the development policies of the recipient countries.
Article
37
The
Member States agree to join together in seeking a solution to urgent or
critical problems that may arise whenever the economic development or stability
of any Member State is seriously affected by conditions that cannot be remedied
through the efforts of that State.
Article
38
The
Member States shall extend among themselves the benefits of science and
technology by encouraging the exchange and utilization of scientific and
technical knowledge in accordance with existing treaties and national laws.
Article
39
The
Member States, recognizing the close interdependence between foreign trade and
economic and social development, should make individual and united efforts to
bring about the following:
a) Favorable conditions of access to world
markets for the products of the developing countries of the region,
particularly through the reduction or elimination, by importing countries, of tariff and nontariff barriers that affect
the exports of the Member States of the Organization, except when such barriers
are applied in order to diversify the economic structure, to speed up the
development of the less‑developed Member States, and intensify their
process of economic integration, or when they are related to national security
or to the needs of economic balance;
b) Continuity in their economic and social
development by means of:
i. Improved conditions for trade in basic
commodities through international agreements, where appropriate; orderly
marketing procedures that avoid the disruption of markets, and other measures
designed to promote the expansion of markets and to obtain dependable incomes
for producers, adequate and dependable supplies for consumers, and stable
prices that are both remunerative to producers and fair to consumers;
ii. Improved international financial
cooperation and the adoption of other means for lessening the adverse impact of
sharp fluctuations in export earnings experienced by the countries exporting
basic commodities;
iii. Diversification of exports and expansion
of export opportunities for manufactured and semimanufactured products from the
developing countries; and
iv. Conditions conducive to increasing the
real export earnings of the Member States, particularly the developing
countries of the region, and to increasing their participation in international
trade.
Article
40
The
Member States reaffirm the principle that when the more developed countries
grant concessions in international trade agreements that lower or eliminate
tariffs or other barriers to foreign trade so that they benefit the less‑developed
countries, they should not expect reciprocal concessions from those countries
that are incompatible with their economic development, financial, and trade
needs.
Article
41
The
Member States, in order to accelerate their economic development, regional
integration, and the expansion and improvement of the conditions of their
commerce, shall promote improvement and coordination of transportation and
communication in the developing countries and among the Member States.
Article
42
The
Member States recognize that integration of the developing countries of the
Hemisphere is one of the objectives of the inter‑American system and,
therefore, shall orient their efforts and take the necessary measures to
accelerate the integration process, with a view to establishing a Latin
American common market in the shortest possible time.
Article
43
In order
to strengthen and accelerate integration in all its aspects, the Member States
agree to give adequate priority to the preparation and carrying out of
multinational projects and to their financing, as well as to encourage economic
and financial institutions of the inter‑American system to continue
giving their broadest support to regional integration institutions and
programs.
Article
44
The
Member States agree that technical and financial cooperation that seeks to
promote regional economic integration should be based on the principle of
harmonious, balanced, and efficient development, with particular attention to
the relatively less‑developed countries, so that it may be a decisive
factor that will enable them to promote, with their own efforts, the improved
development of their infrastructure programs, new lines of production, and
export diversification.
Article
45
The
Member States, convinced that man can only achieve the full realization of his
aspirations within a just social order, along with economic development and
true peace, agree to dedicate every effort to the application of the following
principles and mechanisms:
a) All human beings, without distinction as
to race, sex, nationality, creed, or social condition, have a right to material
well‑being and to their spiritual development, under circumstances of
liberty, dignity, equality of opportunity, and economic security;
b) Work is a right and a social duty, it
gives dignity to the one who performs it, and it should be performed under
conditions, including a system of fair wages, that ensure life, health, and a
decent standard of living for the worker and his family, both during his
working years and in his old age, or when any circumstance deprives him of the
possibility of working;
c) Employers and workers, both rural and
urban, have the right to associate themselves freely for the defense and
promotion of their interests, including the right to collective bargaining and
the workers' right to strike, and recognition of the juridical personality of
associations and the protection of their freedom and independence, all in
accordance with applicable laws;
d) Fair
and efficient systems and procedures for consultation and collaboration among
the sectors of production, with due regard for safeguarding the interests of
the entire society;
e) The operation of systems of public
administration, banking and credit, enterprise, and distribution and sales, in
such a way, in harmony with the private sector, as to meet the requirements and
interests of the community;
f) The incorporation and increasing participation
of the marginal sectors of the population, in both rural and urban areas, in
the economic, social, civic, cultural, and political life of the nation, in
order to achieve the full integration of the national community, acceleration
of the process of social mobility, and the consolidation of the democratic
system. The encouragement of all
efforts of popular promotion and cooperation that have as their purpose the
development and progress of the community;
g) Recognition of the importance of the contribution
of organizations such as labor unions, cooperatives, and cultural,
professional, business, neighborhood, and community associations to the life of
the society and to the development process;
h) Development of an efficient social
security policy; and
i) Adequate provision for all persons to
have due legal aid in order to secure their rights.
Article
46
The
Member States recognize that, in order to facilitate the process of Latin
American regional integration, it is necessary to harmonize the social
legislation of the developing countries, especially in the labor and social
security fields, so that the rights of the workers shall be equally protected,
and they agree to make the greatest efforts possible to achieve this goal.
Article
47
The
Member States will give primary importance within their development plans to
the encouragement of education, science, technology, and culture, oriented
toward the overall improvement of the individual, and as a foundation for
democracy, social justice, and progress.
Article
48
The
Member States will cooperate with one another to meet their educational needs,
to promote scientific research, and to encourage technological progress for
their integral development. They will
consider themselves individually and jointly bound to preserve and enrich the
cultural heritage of the American peoples.
Article
49
The
Member States will exert the greatest efforts, in accordance with their
constitutional processes, to ensure the effective exercise of the right to
education, on the following bases:
a) Elementary education, compulsory for
children of school age, shall also be offered to all others who can benefit
from it. When provided by the State it
shall be without charge;
b) Middle‑level education shall be
extended progressively to as much of the population as possible, with a view to
social improvement. It shall be
diversified in such a way that it meets the development needs of each country
without prejudice to providing a general education; and
c) Higher education shall be available to
all, provided that, in order to maintain its high level, the corresponding
regulatory or academic standards are met.
Article
50
The
Member States will give special attention to the eradication of illiteracy,
will strengthen adult and vocational education systems, and will ensure that
the benefits of culture will be available to the entire population. They will promote the use of all information
media to fulfill these aims.
Article
51
The
Member States will develop science and technology through educational,
research, and technological development activities and information and
dissemination programs. They will
stimulate activities in the field of technology for the purpose of adapting it
to the needs of their integral development.
They will organize their cooperation in these fields efficiently and
will substantially increase exchange of knowledge, in accordance with national
objectives and laws and with treaties in force.
Article
52
The
Member States, with due respect for the individuality of each of them, agree to
promote cultural exchange as an effective means of consolidating inter‑American
understanding; and they recognize that regional integration programs should be
strengthened by close ties in the fields of education, science, and culture.
PART
TWO
Chapter
VIII
THE
ORGANS
Article
53
The
Organization of American States accomplishes its purposes by means of:
a) The General Assembly;
b) The Meeting of Consultation of Ministers
of Foreign Affairs;
c) The Councils;
d) The Inter‑American Juridical
Committee;
e) The Inter‑American Commission on
Human Rights;
f) The General Secretariat;
g) The Specialized Conferences; and
h) The Specialized Organizations.
There may
be established, in addition to those provided for in the Charter and in
accordance with the provisions thereof, such subsidiary organs, agencies, and
other entities as are considered necessary.
Chapter
IX
THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Article
54
The
General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization of American
States. It has as its principal powers,
in addition to such others as are assigned to it by the Charter, the following:
a) To decide the general action and policy
of the Organization, determine the structure and functions of its organs, and
consider any matter relating to friendly relations among the American States;
b) To establish measures for coordinating
the activities of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization among
themselves, and such activities with those of the other institutions of the
inter‑American system;
c) To strengthen and coordinate cooperation
with the United Nations and its specialized agencies;
d) To promote collaboration, especially in
the economic, social, and cultural fields, with other international
organizations whose purposes are similar to those of the Organization of
American States;
e) To approve the program‑budget of
the Organization and determine the quotas of the Member States;
f) To consider the reports of the Meeting
of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the observations and
recommendations presented by the Permanent Council with regard to the reports
that should be presented by the other organs and entities, in accordance with the
provisions of Article 91.f, as well as the reports of any organ which may be
required by the General Assembly itself;
g) To adopt general standards to govern the
operations of the General Secretariat; and
h) To adopt its own rules of procedure and,
by a two‑thirds vote, its agenda.
The
General Assembly shall exercise its powers in accordance with the provisions of
the Charter and of other inter‑American treaties.
Article
55
The
General Assembly shall establish 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.
Decisions on budgetary matters require the approval of two thirds of the
Member States.
Article
56
All
Member States have the right to be represented in the General Assembly. Each State has the right to one vote.
Article
57
The
General Assembly shall convene annually during the period determined by the
rules of procedure and at a place selected in accordance with the principle of
rotation. At each regular session the
date and place of the next regular session shall be determined, in accordance
with the rules of procedure.
If for
any reason the General Assembly cannot be held at the place chosen, it shall
meet at the General Secretariat, unless one of the Member States should make a
timely offer of a site in its territory, in which case the Permanent Council of
the Organization may agree that the General Assembly will meet in that place.
Article
58
In
special circumstances and with the approval of two thirds of the Member States,
the Permanent Council shall convoke a special session of the General Assembly.
Article
59
Decisions
of the General Assembly shall be adopted by the affirmative vote of an absolute
majority of the Member States, except in those cases that require a two‑thirds
vote as provided in the Charter or as may be provided by the General Assembly
in its rules of procedure.
Article
60
There
shall be a Preparatory Committee of the General Assembly, composed of
representatives of all the Member States, which shall:
a) Prepare the draft agenda of each session
of the General Assembly;
b) Review the proposed program‑budget
and the draft resolution on quotas, and present to the General Assembly a
report thereon containing the recommendations it considers appropriate; and
c) Carry out such other functions as the
General Assembly may assign to it.
The draft
agenda and the report shall, in due course, be transmitted to the Governments
of the Member States.
Chapter
X
THE
MEETING OF CONSULTATION OF
MINISTERS
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Article
61
The
Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs shall be held in order
to consider problems of an urgent nature and of common interest to the American
States, and to serve as the Organ of Consultation.
Article
62
Any
Member State may request that a Meeting of Consultation be called. The request shall be addressed to the
Permanent Council of the Organization, which shall decide by an absolute
majority whether a meeting should be held.
Article 63
The
agenda and regulations of the Meeting of Consultation shall be prepared by the
Permanent Council of the Organization and submitted to the Member States for
consideration.
Article
64
If, for
exceptional reasons, a Minister of Foreign Affairs is unable to attend the
meeting, he shall be represented by a special delegate.
Article
65
In case
of an armed attack on the territory of an American State or within the region
of security delimited by the treaty in force, the Chairman of the Permanent
Council shall without delay call a meeting of the Council to decide on the
convocation of the Meeting of Consultation, without prejudice to the provisions
of the Inter‑American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance with regard to the
States Parties to that instrument.
Article
66
An
Advisory Defense Committee shall be established to advise the Organ of
Consultation on problems of military cooperation that may arise in connection
with the application of existing special treaties on collective security.
Article
67
The
Advisory Defense Committee shall be composed of the highest military
authorities of the American States participating in the Meeting of
Consultation. Under exceptional
circumstances the Governments may appoint substitutes. Each State shall be entitled to one vote.
Article
68
The
Advisory Defense Committee shall be convoked under the same conditions as the
Organ of Consultation, when the latter deals with matters relating to defense
against aggression.
Article
69
The
Committee shall also meet when the General Assembly or the Meeting of
Consultation or the Governments, by a two‑thirds majority of the Member
States, assign to it technical studies or reports on specific subjects.
Chapter
XI
THE
COUNCILS OF THE ORGANIZATION
Common
Provisions
Article
70
The
Permanent Council of the Organization and the Inter-American Council for
Integral Development are directly responsible to the General Assembly, and each
has the authority granted to it in the Charter and other inter-American
instruments, as well as the functions assigned to it by the General Assembly
and the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
Article
71
All
Member States have the right to be represented on each of the Councils. Each State has the right to one vote.
Article
72
The
Councils may, within the limits of the Charter and other inter‑American
instruments, make recommendations on matters within their authority.
Article
73
The
Councils, on matters within their respective competence, may present to the
General Assembly studies and proposals, drafts of international instruments,
and proposals on the holding of specialized conferences, on the creation,
modification, or elimination of specialized organizations and other inter‑American
agencies, as well as on the coordination of their activities. The Councils may also present studies,
proposals, and drafts of international instruments to the Specialized
Conferences.
Article
74
Each
Council may, in urgent cases, convoke Specialized Conferences on matters within
its competence, after consulting with the Member States and without having to
resort to the procedure provided for in Article 122.
Article
75
The
Councils, to the extent of their ability, and with the cooperation of the
General Secretariat, shall render to the Governments such specialized services
as the latter may request.
Article
76
Each Council
has the authority to require the other Council, as well as the subsidiary
organs and agencies responsible to them, to provide it with information and
advisory services on matters within their respective spheres of competence. The Councils may also request the same
services from the other agencies of the inter‑American system.
Article
77
With the
prior approval of the General Assembly, the Councils may establish the
subsidiary organs and the agencies that they consider advisable for the better performance
of their duties. When the General
Assembly is not in session, the aforesaid organs or agencies may be established
provisionally by the corresponding Council.
In constituting the membership of these bodies, the Councils, insofar as
possible, shall follow the criteria of rotation and equitable geographic
representation.
Article
78
The
Councils may hold meetings in any Member State, when they find it advisable and
with the prior consent of the Government concerned.
Article
79
Each
Council shall prepare its own statutes and submit them to the General Assembly
for approval. It shall approve its own
rules of procedure and those of its subsidiary organs, agencies, and
committees.
Chapter
XII
THE
PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION
Article
80
The
Permanent Council of the Organization is composed of one representative of each
Member State, especially appointed by the respective Government, with the rank
of ambassador. Each Government may
accredit an acting representative, as well as such alternates and advisers as
it considers necessary.
Article 81
The
office of Chairman of the Permanent Council shall be held by each of the
representatives, in turn, following the alphabetic order in Spanish of the
names of their respective countries.
The office of Vice Chairman shall be filled in the same way, following
reverse alphabetic order.
The
Chairman and the Vice Chairman shall hold office for a term of not more than
six months, which shall be determined by the statutes.
Article
82
Within
the limits of the Charter and of inter‑American treaties and agreements,
the Permanent Council takes cognizance of any matter referred to it by the
General Assembly or the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign
Affairs.
Article
83
The
Permanent Council shall serve provisionally as the Organ of Consultation in
conformity with the provisions of the special treaty on the subject.
Article
84
The
Permanent Council shall keep vigilance over the maintenance of friendly
relations among the Member States, and for that purpose shall effectively
assist them in the peaceful settlement of their disputes, in accordance with
the following provisions.
Article
85
In
accordance with the provisions of this Charter, any party to a dispute in which
none of the peaceful procedures provided for in the Charter is under way may
resort to the Permanent Council to obtain its good offices. The Council, following the provisions of the
preceding article, shall assist the parties and recommend the procedures it
considers suitable for peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Article
86
In the
exercise of its functions and with the consent of the parties to the dispute,
the Permanent Council may establish ad hoc committees.
The ad
hoc committees shall have the membership and the mandate that the Permanent
Council agrees upon in each individual case, with the consent of the parties to
the dispute.
Article 87
The
Permanent Council may also, by such means as it deems advisable, investigate
the facts in the dispute, and may do so in the territory of any of the parties,
with the consent of the Government concerned.
Article
88
If the
procedure for peaceful settlement of disputes recommended by the Permanent
Council or suggested by the pertinent ad hoc committee under the terms of its
mandate is not accepted by one of the parties, or one of the parties declares
that the procedure has not settled the dispute, the Permanent Council shall so
inform the General Assembly, without prejudice to its taking steps to secure
agreement between the parties or to restore relations between them.
Article
89
The
Permanent Council, in the exercise of these functions, shall take its decisions
by an affirmative vote of two thirds of its Members, excluding the parties to
the dispute, except for such decisions as the rules of procedure provide shall
be adopted by a simple majority.
Article
90
In
performing their functions with respect to the peaceful settlement of disputes,
the Permanent Council and the respective ad hoc committee shall observe the
provisions of the Charter and the principles and standards of international
law, as well as take into account the existence of treaties in force between
the parties.
Article
91
The
Permanent Council shall also:
a) Carry out those decisions of the General
Assembly or of the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs the
implementation of which has not been assigned to any other body;
b) Watch over the observance of the
standards governing the operation of the General Secretariat and, when the
General Assembly is not in session, adopt provisions of a regulatory nature
that enable the General Secretariat to carry out its administrative functions;
c) Act as the Preparatory Committee of the
General Assembly, in accordance with the terms of Article 60 of the Charter,
unless the General Assembly should decide otherwise;
d) Prepare, at the request of the Member
States and with the cooperation of the appropriate organs of the Organization,
draft agreements to promote and facilitate cooperation between the Organization
of American States and the United Nations or between the Organization and other
American agencies of recognized international standing. These draft agreements shall be submitted to
the General Assembly for approval;
e) Submit recommendations to the General
Assembly with regard to the functioning of the Organization and the
coordination of its subsidiary organs, agencies, and committees;
f) Consider the reports of the
Inter-American Council for Integral Development, of the Inter‑American
Juridical Committee, of the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights, of
the General Secretariat, of specialized agencies and conferences, and of other
bodies and agencies, and present to the General Assembly any observations and
recommendations it deems necessary; and
g) Perform the other functions assigned to
it in the Charter.
Article
92
The
Permanent Council and the General Secretariat shall have the same seat.
Chapter
XIII
THE
INTER‑AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT
Article
93
The
Inter-American Council for Integral Development is composed of one principal
representative, of ministerial or equivalent rank, for each Member State,
especially appointed by the respective Government.
In
keeping with the provisions of the Charter, the Inter-American Council for
Integral Development may establish the subsidiary bodies and the agencies that
it considers advisable for the better performance of its duties.
Article
94
The
purpose of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development is to promote
cooperation among the American States for the purpose of achieving integral
development and, in particular, helping to eliminate extreme poverty, in
accordance with the standards of the Charter, especially those set forth in
Chapter VII with respect to the economic, social, educational, cultural,
scientific, and technological fields.
Article
95
In order
to achieve its various goals, especially in the specific area of technical
cooperation, the Inter-American Council for Integral Development shall:
a) Formulate and recommend to the General
Assembly a strategic plan which sets forth policies, programs, and courses of
action in matters of cooperation for integral development, within the framework
of the general policy and priorities defined by the General Assembly;
b) Formulate guidelines for the preparation
of the program-budget for technical cooperation and for the other activities of
the Council;
c) Promote, coordinate, and assign responsibility
for the execution of development programs and projects to the subsidiary bodies
and relevant organizations, on the basis of the priorities identified by the
Member States, in areas such as:
1) Economic and social development,
including trade, tourism, integration and the environment;
2) Improvement and extension of education
to cover all levels, promotion of scientific and technological research,
through technical cooperation, and support for cultural activities; and
3) Strengthening of the civic conscience of
the American peoples, as one of the bases for the effective exercise of
democracy and for the observance of the rights and duties of man.
These
ends shall be furthered by sectoral participation mechanisms and other
subsidiary bodies and organizations established by the Charter and by other
General Assembly provisions;
d) Establish cooperative relations with the
corresponding bodies of the United Nations and with other national and
international agencies, especially with regard to coordination of
inter-American technical cooperation programs;
e) Periodically evaluate cooperation
activities for integral development, in terms of their performance in the
implementation of policies, programs, and projects, in terms of their impact,
effectiveness, efficiency, and use of resources, and in terms of the quality,
inter alia, of the technical cooperation services provided; and report to the
General Assembly.
Article
96
The
Inter-American Council for Integral Development shall hold at least one meeting
each year at the ministerial or equivalent level. It shall also have the right to convene meetings at the same
level for the specialized or sectorial topics it considers relevant, within its
province or sphere of competence. It
shall also meet when convoked by the General Assembly or the Meeting of
Consultation of Foreign Ministers, or on its own initiative, or for the cases
envisaged in Article 37 of the Charter.
Article
97
The
Inter-American Council for Integral Development shall have the nonpermanent
specialized committees which it decides to establish and which are required for
the proper performance of its functions.
Those committees shall operate and shall be composed as stipulated in
the Statutes of the Council.
Article
98
The
execution and, if appropriate, the coordination, of approved projects shall be
entrusted to the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, which shall
report on the results of that execution to the Council.
Chapter
XIV
THE
INTER‑AMERICAN JURIDICAL COMMITTEE
Article
99
The
purpose of the Inter‑American Juridical Committee is to serve the
Organization as an advisory body on juridical matters; to promote the
progressive development and the codification of international law; and to study
juridical problems related to the integration of the developing countries of
the Hemisphere and, insofar as may appear desirable, the possibility of
attaining uniformity in their legislation.
Article
100
The Inter‑American
Juridical Committee shall undertake the studies and preparatory work assigned
to it by the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of
Foreign Affairs, or the Councils of the Organization. It may also, on its own initiative, undertake such studies and
preparatory work as it considers advisable, and suggest the holding of
specialized juridical conferences.
Article
101
The Inter‑American
Juridical Committee shall be composed of eleven jurists, nationals of Member
States, elected by the General Assembly for a period of four years from panels
of three candidates presented by Member States. In the election, a system shall be used that takes into account
partial replacement of membership and, insofar as possible, equitable geographic
representation. No two Members of the
Committee may be nationals of the same State.
Vacancies
that occur for reasons other than normal expiration of the terms of office of
the Members of the Committee shall be filled by the Permanent Council of the
Organization in accordance with the criteria set forth in the preceding
paragraph.
Article
102
The Inter‑American
Juridical Committee represents all of the Member States of the Organization,
and has the broadest possible technical autonomy.
Article
103
The Inter‑American
Juridical Committee shall establish cooperative relations with universities,
institutes, and other teaching centers, as well as with national and
international committees and entities devoted to study, research, teaching, or
dissemination of information on juridical matters of international interest.
Article
104
The Inter‑American
Juridical Committee shall draft its statutes, which shall be submitted to the
General Assembly for approval.
The
Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
Article
105
The seat
of the Inter‑American Juridical Committee shall be the city of Rio de
Janeiro, but in special cases the Committee may meet at any other place that
may be designated, after consultation with the Member State concerned.
Chapter XV
THE
INTER‑AMERICAN COMMISSION ON
HUMAN
RIGHTS
Article
106
There
shall be an Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights, whose principal
function shall be to promote the observance and protection of human rights and
to serve as a consultative organ of the Organization in these matters.
An inter‑American
convention on human rights shall determine the structure, competence, and
procedure of this Commission, as well as those of other organs responsible for
these matters.
Chapter
XVI
THE
GENERAL SECRETARIAT
Article
107
The
General Secretariat is the central and permanent organ of the Organization of
American States. It shall perform the
functions assigned to it in the Charter, in other inter‑American treaties
and agreements, and by the General Assembly, and shall carry out the duties
entrusted to it by the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation of
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, or the Councils.
Article
108
The
Secretary General of the Organization shall be elected by the General Assembly
for a five‑year term and may not be reelected more than once or succeeded
by a person of the same nationality. In
the event that the office of Secretary General becomes vacant, the Assistant
Secretary General shall assume his duties until the General Assembly shall elect
a new Secretary General for a full term.
Article
109
The
Secretary General shall direct the General Secretariat, be the legal
representative thereof, and, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 91.b, be
responsible to the General Assembly for the proper fulfillment of the
obligations and functions of the General Secretariat.
Article 110
The
Secretary General, or his representative, may participate with voice but
without vote in all meetings of the Organization.
The Secretary General may bring to the attention
of the General Assembly or the Permanent Council any matter which in his
opinion might threaten the peace and security of the Hemisphere or the
development of the Member States.
The
authority to which the preceding paragraph refers shall be exercised in
accordance with the present Charter.
Article
111
The
General Secretariat shall promote economic, social, juridical, educational,
scientific, and cultural relations among all the Member States of the
Organization, with special emphasis on cooperation for the elimination of
extreme poverty, in keeping with the actions and policies decided upon by the
General Assembly and with the pertinent decisions of the Councils.
Article
112
The
General Secretariat shall also perform the following functions:
a) Transmit ex officio to the Member
States notice of the convocation of the General Assembly, the Meeting of
Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Inter‑American Council
for Integral Development, and the Specialized Conferences;
b) Advise the other organs, when
appropriate, in the preparation of agenda and rules of procedure;
c) Prepare the proposed program‑budget
of the Organization on the basis of programs adopted by the Councils, agencies,
and entities whose expenses should be included in the program‑budget and,
after consultation with the Councils or their permanent committees, submit it
to the Preparatory Committee of the General Assembly and then to the Assembly
itself;
d) Provide, on a permanent basis, adequate
secretariat services for the General Assembly and the other organs, and carry
out their directives and assignments.
To the extent of its ability, provide services for the other meetings of
the Organization;
e) Serve as custodian of the documents and
archives of the inter‑American Conferences, the General Assembly, the
Meetings of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Councils, and the
Specialized Conferences;
f) Serve as depository of inter‑American
treaties and agreements, as well as of the instruments of ratification thereof;
g) Submit to the General Assembly at each
regular session an annual report on the activities of the Organization and its
financial condition; and
h) Establish relations of cooperation, in
accordance with decisions reached by the General Assembly or the Councils, with
the Specialized Organizations as well as other national and international
organizations.
Article
113
The
Secretary General shall:
a) Establish such offices of the General
Secretariat as are necessary to accomplish its purposes; and
b) Determine the number of officers and
employees of the General Secretariat, appoint them, regulate their powers and
duties, and fix their remuneration.
The
Secretary General shall exercise this authority in accordance with such general
standards and budgetary provisions as may be established by the General
Assembly.
Article
114
The
Assistant Secretary General shall be elected by the General Assembly for a five‑year
term and may not be reelected more than once or succeeded by a person of the
same nationality. In the event that the
office of Assistant Secretary General becomes vacant, the Permanent Council
shall elect a substitute to hold that office until the General Assembly shall
elect a new Assistant Secretary General for a full term.
Article
115
The
Assistant Secretary General shall be the Secretary of the Permanent
Council. He shall serve as advisory
officer to the Secretary General and shall act as his delegate in all matters
that the Secretary General may entrust to him.
During the temporary absence or disability of the Secretary General, the
Assistant Secretary General shall perform his functions.
The
Secretary General and the Assistant Secretary General shall be of different
nationalities.
Article 116
The
General Assembly, by a two‑thirds vote of the Member States, may remove
the Secretary General or the Assistant Secretary General, or both, whenever the
proper functioning of the Organization so demands.
Article
117
The
Secretary General shall appoint, with the approval of the Inter-American
Council for Integral Development, an Executive Secretary for Integral
Development.
Article
118
In the
performance of their duties, the Secretary General and the personnel of the
Secretariat shall not seek or receive instructions from any Government or from
any authority outside the Organization, and shall refrain from any action that
may be incompatible with their position as international officers responsible
only to the Organization.
Article
119
The
Member States pledge themselves to respect the exclusively international
character of the responsibilities of the Secretary General and the personnel of
the General Secretariat, and not to seek to influence them in the discharge of
their duties.
Article
120
In
selecting the personnel of the General Secretariat, first consideration shall
be given to efficiency, competence, and integrity; but at the same time, in the
recruitment of personnel of all ranks, importance shall be given to the necessity
of obtaining as wide a geographic representation as possible.
Article
121
The seat
of the General Secretariat is the city of Washington, D.C.
Chapter XVII
THE SPECIALIZED
CONFERENCES
Article
122
The
Specialized Conferences are intergovernmental meetings to deal with special
technical matters or to develop specific aspects of inter‑American
cooperation. They shall be held when
either the General Assembly or the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of
Foreign Affairs so decides, on its own initiative or at the request of one of
the Councils or Specialized Organizations.
Article
123
The
agenda and rules of procedure of the Specialized Conferences shall be prepared
by the Councils or Specialized Organizations concerned and shall be submitted
to the Governments of the Member States for consideration.
Chapter
XVIII
THE SPECIALIZED
ORGANIZATIONS
Article
124
For the
purposes of the present Charter, Inter‑American Specialized Organizations
are the intergovernmental organizations established by multilateral agreements
and having specific functions with respect to technical matters of common
interest to the American States.
Article
125
The
General Secretariat shall maintain a register of the organizations that fulfill
the conditions set forth in the foregoing Article, as determined by the General
Assembly after a report from the Council concerned.
Article
126
The
Specialized Organizations shall enjoy the fullest technical autonomy, but they
shall take into account the recommendations of the General Assembly and of the
Councils, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.
Article
127
The
Specialized Organizations shall transmit to the General Assembly annual reports
on the progress of their work and on their annual budgets and expenses.
Article
128
Relations
that should exist between the Specialized Organizations and the Organization
shall be defined by means of agreements concluded between each organization and
the Secretary General, with the authorization of the General Assembly.
Article
129
The
Specialized Organizations shall establish cooperative relations with world
agencies of the same character in order to coordinate their activities. In concluding agreements with international
agencies of a worldwide character, the Inter‑American Specialized
Organizations shall preserve their identity and their status as integral parts
of the Organization of American States, even when they perform regional
functions of international agencies.
Article
130
In determining
the location of the Specialized Organizations consideration shall be given to
the interest of all of the Member States and to the desirability of selecting
the seats of these organizations on the basis of a geographic representation as
equitable as possible.
PART
THREE
Chapter
XIX
THE UNITED
NATIONS
Article
131
None of
the provisions of this Charter shall be construed as impairing the rights and
obligations of the Member States under the Charter of the United Nations.
Chapter XX
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Article
132
Attendance
at meetings of the permanent organs of the Organization of American States or
at the conferences and meetings provided for in the Charter, or held under the
auspices of the Organization, shall be in accordance with the multilateral
character of the aforesaid organs, conferences, and meetings and shall not
depend on the bilateral relations between the Government of any Member State
and the Government of the host country.
Article
133
The
Organization of American States shall enjoy in the territory of each Member
such legal capacity, privileges, and immunities as are necessary for the
exercise of its functions and the accomplishment of its purposes.
Article
134
The
representatives of the Member States on the organs of the Organization, the
personnel of their delegations, as well as the Secretary General and the
Assistant Secretary General shall enjoy the privileges and immunities
corresponding to their positions and necessary for the independent performance
of their duties.
Article
135
The
juridical status of the Specialized Organizations and the privileges and
immunities that should be granted to them and to their personnel, as well as to
the officials of the General Secretariat, shall be determined in a multilateral
agreement. The foregoing shall not
preclude, when it is considered necessary, the concluding of bilateral
agreements.
Article
136
Correspondence
of the Organization of American States, including printed matter and parcels,
bearing the frank thereof, shall be carried free of charge in the mails of the
Member States.
Article 137
The
Organization of American States does not allow any restriction based on race,
creed, or sex, with respect to eligibility to participate in the activities of
the Organization and to hold positions therein.
Article
138
Within
the provisions of this Charter, the competent organs shall endeavor to obtain
greater collaboration from countries not Members of the Organization in the
area of cooperation for development.
Chapter
XXI
RATIFICATION AND ENTRY INTO
FORCE
Article
139
The
present Charter shall remain open for signature by the American States and
shall be ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional
procedures. The original instrument,
the Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French texts of which are equally
authentic, shall be deposited with the General Secretariat, which shall
transmit certified copies thereof to the Governments for purposes of
ratification. The instruments of
ratification shall be deposited with the General Secretariat, which shall
notify the signatory States of such deposit.
Article
140
The
present Charter shall enter into force among the ratifying States when two
thirds of the signatory States have deposited their ratifications. It shall enter into force with respect to
the remaining States in the order in which they deposit their ratifications.
Article
141
The
present Charter shall be registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations
through the General Secretariat.
Article 142
Amendments
to the present Charter may be adopted only at a General Assembly convened for
that purpose. Amendments shall enter
into force in accordance with the terms and the procedure set forth in Article
140.
Article
143
The
present Charter shall remain in force indefinitely, but may be denounced by any
Member State upon written notification to the General Secretariat, which shall
communicate to all the others each notice of denunciation received. After two years from the date on which the
General Secretariat receives a notice of denunciation, the present Charter
shall cease to be in force with respect to the denouncing State, which shall
cease to belong to the Organization after it has fulfilled the obligations
arising from the present Charter.
Chapter
XXII
TRANSITORY
PROVISIONS
Article
144
The Inter‑American
Committee on the Alliance for Progress shall act as the permanent executive
committee of the Inter‑American Economic and Social Council as long as
the Alliance is in operation.
Article
145
Until the
inter‑American convention on human rights, referred to in Chapter XV,
enters into force, the present Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights
shall keep vigilance over the observance of human rights.
Article
146
The
Permanent Council shall not make any recommendation nor shall the General
Assembly take any decision with respect to a request for admission on the part
of a political entity whose territory became subject, in whole or in part,
prior to December 18, 1964, the date set by the First Special Inter‑American
Conference, to litigation or claim between an extracontinental country and one
or more Member States of the Organization, until the dispute has been ended by
some peaceful procedure. This article
shall remain in effect until December 10, 1990.
CP03698.E