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URUGUAY EXTENDS ASSIGNMENT OF ANTI-TERRORISM COURSES DIRECTOR

  June 15, 2006

The government of Uruguay has increased its contribution to the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) by extending the assignment of a seconded Uruguayan official, Pablo Martínez, as CICTE Courses Director for nearly four more years. This makes Uruguay second only to the United States in the value of in-kind contributions to CICTE, an entity of the Organization of American States (OAS).

In announcing the extension, Uruguay’s Minister of Defense, Azucena Berrutti, explained that “this contribution responds to the call by OAS member states and the OAS General Secretariat for support to strengthen the CICTE Secretariat, and is an unequivocal expression of the commitment of the government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to promote hemispheric cooperation to prevent and eliminate all forms of terrorism.”

Last March, at its sixth regular meeting in Bogotá, Colombia, CICTE called on OAS member states to strengthen the CICTE Secretariat with full-time staff to ensure continuity in the fulfillment of its important mission and to facilitate the programs it has been carrying out in accordance with its Work Plan. Uruguay chaired CICTE during 2004-2005.

Responding to the Uruguayan government’s announcement, CICTE Executive Secretary Steven Monblatt said, “We are very grateful for this tangible demonstration of support by the government of Uruguay. Beyond its firm support for the CICTE program, this move also demonstrates Uruguay’s understanding of continuity as an important element that helps make it a success.”

Pablo Martínez, whose assignment has been extended until February 2010, is one of CICTE’s original staff members. As Courses Director, he is directly responsible for managing CICTE’s largest capacity-building programs, in port and airport security. These two programs have provided training to nearly 1,000 security officials in the past two years.

Reference: E-131/06