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Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS Presents Credentials

The new representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Neil Parsan, today presented his credentials to the Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, during a formal event held at Organization headquarters in Washington, DC.

Welcoming the new diplomat from the Trinidadian government, the Secretary General highlighted the "great contribution that the government of Trinidad and Tobago has made to the organization and to the inter-American system," and added that "today, as we prepare ourselves for the Sixth Summit of the Americas , we all remember the successful summit we had in Trinidad and Tobago two years ago and its positive results, and therefore we look forward to a continuation of this hemispheric contribution."

In his speech, the Secretary General referred to the responsibilities and commitments of representatives to the OAS. "Some ambassadors in this house share responsibility for the bilateral relationship with the host country and the multilateral one at the OAS. The latter is probably the most rewarding as it is here where they learn about the reality of the Americas and where they can maintain a dialogue with nations that share our hopes, problems and achievements." He added that "when we see the problems now faced by many countries because of a lack of democracy is when we realize what we have, and how important it is to preserve the rule of law and full compliance with human rights for our countries. This is something that we continue strengthening."

Ambassador Parsan, for his part, referred to the "invaluable contribution being made by the OAS towards the promotion of democracy and human rights, multidimensional security and integral development in the Americas. Not only has the organization been a forum for hemispheric dialogue, but more specifically the OAS has been an unwavering partner in responding to issues of importance to the CARICOM region.”

The Trinidadian diplomat referred to security, which will be the central theme of the OAS General Assembly, to be held in El Salvador from June 5 to 7. "It's a matter of particular significance to us since addressing crime is one of my government’s top priorities. The collective well-being of the citizens of the Americas is dependent upon our ability to work together to reinforce our national and regional security,” he said, and concluded by adding that his delegation is “eager to participate in open and honest discussions with other Member States with a view to considering the way forward in addressing this extremely important issue.”

The event was also attended by the Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin and Permanent Representatives of several OAS Member States.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-553/11