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SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSSES DEFENSE AS A FUNCTION OF MODERN STATES

In a speech today at the Inter-American Defense College, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, said the debate about civilian-military relations in the region has been replaced “by a policy of joint cooperation, understanding that defense is a function of modern states within the framework of a globalized world.”

During a convocation to welcome a new class to the Defense College, located at Fort Lesley McNair in Washington, D.C., Insulza said these new relations pave the way for governments and military entities to work together, based on the concept that “security is a social benefit that our states owe to all their citizens in a free society, and thus we should dedicate ourselves to carry out these common tasks through dialogue, harmony and cooperation.”

The Secretary General underscored the achievement reached last March with the incorporation of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) within the juridical structure of the OAS. “I’m sure that the students of this class, as many have before them, will be able to make a contribution during this new chapter for our hemisphere and will also be able to raise the prestige of their institutions and their countries throughout the Americas”, Insulza told the students, who come from different OAS member nations.

The Chair of the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the OAS, Ambassador Javier Sancho Bonilla, delivered the keynote address, warning the students about the problem that small arms represent for the countries of the region. Sancho conveyed the OAS perspective on the issue of security and the actions taken by the multilateral body to respond to, prevent and attack the problem of small-arms stockpiles.

After providing statistics on violence resulting from the uncontrolled spread and improper use of these weapons, Sancho stressed that the fight against this scourge “has become a key issue to bring about peace and security in the hemisphere.” Little by little, he said, “a consensus is being built that this phenomenon constitutes a silent epidemic which generates high human and economic costs and is associated with multiple forms of criminality and violence.”

The Director of the Inter-American Defense College, Major General Keith M. Huber, welcomed the students and assured them that they will have the opportunity to examine in depth the challenges of the inter-American agenda.

The Inter-American Defense Board is an international forum that brings together military representatives designated by the member states to collaborate on identifying solutions to common defense and security challenges in the Americas. Currently the IADB focuses on supporting demining activities in Central America, the promotion of confidence-building and security measures, and the development of programs on regional security issues.

Reference: E-183/06