MR. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRIME MINISTER,
MEMBERS OF THE TROIKA,
NATIONAL COORDINATORS,
REPRESENTATIVES OF INTER-AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
AMBASSADORS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
FRIENDS:



IT IS A DISTINCT HONOR TO WELCOME YOU TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL, CESAR GAVIRIA, WHO IS IN EL SALVADOR EXPRESSING THE SOLIDARITY OF THE GREAT FAMILY OF THE AMERICAS.

THIS TWENTY-FIRST MEETING OF THE SUMMIT IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW GROUP IS, AS NOTED BY AMBASSADOR LORTIE, CHARGED BOTH WITH CONCLUDING TWO KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN OF ACTION AND WITH CONSIDERING ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF CONNECTIVITY AND FINANCING, TASKS THAT WILL GO FAR TO DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF THE SUMMIT.

PRESIDENTS AND HEADS OF GOVERNMENT CAN DO WHAT OTHERS CANNOT. THE SUMMIT PROCESS IS REVITALIZING REGIONAL COOPERATION. THERE IS NOT A COUNTRY REPRESENTED HERE THAT DOES NOT HAVE ITS SHARE OF PROBLEMS. BUT IT IS EQUALLY TRUE THAT SINCE 1994 IN MIAMI, A COMMON VISION OF DEMOCRACY AND FREER TRADE HAS INSPIRED MUCH HOPE AND SOME PROGRESS. AND IN FACT THE AMERICAS ENJOY A LEVEL OF DEMOCRATIC STABILITY AND SECURITY NOT SEEN IN MOST OTHER REGIONS OF THE WORLD. RECENT RESEARCH ON THE WORLD'S MOST TROUBLED COUNTRIES IDENTIFIED 33 AT "HIGH RISK" OF INSTABILITY. NOT ONE WAS IN THIS HEMISPHERE. IT IDENTIFIED 47 AT "MODERATE" RISK. ONLY 2 WERE IN THIS HEMISPHERE.

I CONCLUDE THAT IT IS OUR PROGRESS THAT MAKES COOPERATION POSSIBLE, AND THAT IT IS OUR PROBLEMS AS WELL AS OUR OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE COOPERATION NECESSARY. CESAR GAVIRIA HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAL FINDS EXPRESSION IN THE STATE IN TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES. THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH ORGANIZATION OR STRUCTURE: FOR EXAMPLE, THE SEPARATION OF POWERS BETWEEN EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES, DECENTRALIZATION, THE EXISTENCE AND INDEPENDENCE OF FREE ELECTIONS AND OF OVERSIGHT AGENCIES. THE SECOND CATEGORY HAS TO DO WITH THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF ITS CITIZENS: FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION. WHEN THE STATE IS INCAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE NECESSARY SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR THE CITIZEN'S DEVELOPMENT ON THE BASIS OF EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, THIS IS INEVITABLY SEEN AS AN UNMET EXPECTATION, A FAILURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM - NO MATTER THE FORMAL STRUCTURES.

HEMISPHERIC COOPERATION CAN SIMILARLY BE ANALYZED IN TWO PRINCIPAL SPHERES OF ACTION.

THE FIRST INVOLVES SUPPORT TO FACILITATE HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL DIALOGUE UNDERTAKEN BY THE STATES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS. ON THE BASIS OF GENERAL AGREEMENTS AND SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS SUCH AS AG/RES. 1080, THE STATES HAVE GIVEN THE OAS IMPORTANT TASKS IN THIS AREA. THE MOST RECENT CASES - PERUAND HAITI - POINT TO THE POLITICAL WILL OF THE HEMISPHERE TO SEE THE IDEALS OF JUSTICE, DEMOCRACY, AND PEACE PREVAIL THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

THE SECOND SPHERE OF ACTION INVOLVES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES AS THEY SEEK TO IMPROVE THE WORKINGS OF THEIR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. EXCHANGES OF BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER MUTUAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES ARE AREAS IN WHICH THE OAS PROVIDES ASSISTANCE DESPITE MAJOR RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS. BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WE WOULD MENTION THE INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAM FOR COOPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND THE RELATED CONVENTION; THE ANTI-DRUG STRATEGY EMBODIED IN THE MULTILATERAL EVALUATION MECHANISM (MEM); THE WIDE-RANGING EFFORTS OF THE UNIT FOR THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY; AND THE SUPPORT FOR THE FTAA ACTIVITIES HANDLED BY THE TRADE UNIT, AMONG MANY OTHERS. `AS WE SPEAK, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ARE WORKING IN THE JUNGLE WITH BELIZE AND GUATEMALA, MAKING CARTOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS THAT WILL UNDERGIRD PEACE AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THEM.

EACH OF THESE TWO DIFFERENT SPHERES - THE POLITICAL AND THE TECHNICAL -- HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS -- FOR CONFIDENCE LEVELS, FOR CONSULTATIONS, FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, AND FOR PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT. IN MY FIRST MONTHS AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL, I HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO CONTRADICTORY FORCES: FIRST, THE ENORMOUS NEED FOR COOPERATION; AND SECOND, THE LACK OF RESOURCES WITH WHICH TO PLAN AND FOLLOW THROUGH EFFECTIVELY.

THE ANSWER, I BELIEVE, LIES IN RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ASSIST EACH OTHER. AND BECAUSE THIS IS TRULY A COMMON INTEREST, WE MUST NOT SIMPLY LEAVE IT TO OUR FINANCE MINISTERS TO FIND THE MEANS FOR FUNDING OUR ACTIVITIES. WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR MANDATES --WHETHER FOR HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL DIALOGUE OR FOR PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE -- ARE SUPPORTED IN WAYS THAT REFLECT OUR MUTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND RESPECTIVE MEANS. DEMOCRATIC SOLIDARITY REQUIRES FORESIGHT AND PREDICTABILITY.

THE OAS HAS A LONG AND OFTEN PROUD HISTORY. SOME OF IT IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR PERUSAL IN THE DISPLAUYS AROUND THIS HALL. WE ARE WORKING ON A WIDE VARIETY OF REFORMS TO BETTER SERVE YOU. THE SECRETARIAT IS AT YOUR SERVICE FOR THIS MEETING AND WILL REMAIN SO IN THE FUTURE AS YOU CARRY OUT THE DIFFICULT TASKS AHEAD.