REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONFIDENCE AND SECURITY
BUILDING MEASURES
November 8-10, 1995
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2   COSEGRE/doc.20/95 rev. 1
12 February 1995
Santiago, Chile
Original: Spanish

CONTENTS

Page

EXPLANATORY NOTE    ............................................................................................................ vii

I. BACKGROUND    ....................................................................................................................   1

1. Permanent Council   .....................................................................................................................  2

2. Inter-American Defense board (IADB) .......................................................................................   3

3. Summit of the Americas   .............................................................................................................  3

II. WORK PROGRESS   ................................................................................................................  4

1. Inaugural session   ........................................................................................................................  4

2. Preparatory session   ....................................................................................................................  4

a. Election of authorities   .................................................................................................... 4

b. Agenda   .........................................................................................................................4

c. Rules of procedure   ........................................................................................................6

3. First plenary session   ...................................................................................................................   6     

4. Second plenary session   ..............................................................................................................   6

5. Working Group   .........................................................................................................................   7

6. Third plenary session   .................................................................................................................   8

7. Fourth plenary session   ................................................................................................................ 8

8. Style Committee .........................................................................................................................   12

9. Closing session   ........................................................................................................................... 12

III. LISTA DE DOCUMENTOS PUBLICADOS 14

APPENDIX:

Discurso do Presidente da Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica da Organização dos Estados Americanos, Embaixador Luiz Augusto de Araujo Castro, Representante Permanente do Brasil junto à OEA ........................................  21 Statement by the Head of the Brazilian Delegation, Ambassador Ivan Cannabrava, Undersecretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of External Relations .....................................................................................................  25 Palabras del Secretario General de la Organización de los Estados Americanos, Doctor César Gaviria, en la Instalación de la "Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad" ..............................  31 Discurso del Doctor Juan Luis Storace, Subsecretario de Defensa Nacional de la República Oriental del Uruguay ante la Conferencia de la Organización de los Estados Americanos sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad ..................................................................................................... 41 Palabras  del Licenciado  Jorge Alberto Carranza,   Viceministro de  Seguridad Pública de  El Salvador - Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza  y de  la  Seguridad - Santiago de  Chile 8, 9 y 10  de  noviembre de 1995 ...........................................................................................................   47 Palabras del Delegado de Bolivia, Dr. Jaime Aparicio, Viceministro de Relaciones Exteriores y de Culto de Bolivia ..................................................  53 Intervención del Señor Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile, Sr. José Miguel Insulza Durante la Inauguración de la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad ...............................  59 Intervención de la Delegación Mexicana ante la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad, Pronunciada por la Embajadora Carmen Moreno de Del Cueto, Representante Permanente de México ante la Organización de los Estados Americanos ..............................  67 Lineamientos Exposición Señor Secretario de Relaciones Exteriores de Argentina en la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas para el Fortalecimiento de la Confianza ....................................................................................................   73 Discours du Chef de la Délégation Haïtienne le Ministre Wiltan Lherisson a la Conférence sur la Sécurité Continentale qui se Tiendra a Santiago du Chili du 8 au 10 novembre 1995 ..................................................................................  79 Intervención del embajador Marcelo Fernández de Córdova, Vicecanciller del Ecuador, en la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad .........................................................................................  83 Palabras del Almirante Vicente Casales, Vicepresidente y Jefe de la Delegación de la JID, Pronunciadas durante la Sesión Plenaria de la Conferencia Interamericana sobre Fomento de las Medidas de Confianza Mutua y Seguridad, Realizada entre el 8 y el 10 de noviembre de 1995, en Santiago, Chile ..........  89 Presentación del Sr. Francisco Rojas Aravena, Coordinador del Área de Relaciones Internacionales y Militares, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO-Chile y Co-Director del Programa Paz y Seguridad en las Américas - El Aporte Académico a la Paz en el Hemisferio ..........................  95 Intervención del Delegado de Panamá, Embajador Bruno Garisto, en la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad ..................................................................................................  101 Statement of the Hon. John D. Holum, Director U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency to the Organization of American States Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures .............................................. 105 Intervención del Embajador Vladimir I. Chernyshev, Observador Permanente de Rusia ante la OEA, en la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad (Santiago de Chile, 9 de noviembre de 1995) ... 111 Intervención del Embajador Sebastián Alegrett, de la República de Venezuela en la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de Fomento de la Confianza y de la Seguridad (Santiago de Chile, 8 al 10 de noviembre de 1995) ....................  117 Address Delivered by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Edward Casy, in General Committee Under Agenda Item 6 ..................................................  123 Intervention by Brigadier-General G.T.M. Findley, Deputy-head of the Canadian Delegation on Organization of Seminars and Other Follow-Up Measures ....  129 Intervention by Mr. Ralph Lysyshyn, Head of the Canadian Delegation on Objectives of Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the Americas ..133 Opening  Statement  by  Mr.  Ralph  Lysyshun   Head  of  the  Canadian Delegation .................................................................................................  137 Intervention by Brigadier-General G.T.M. Findley Deputy-Head of the Canadian Delegation .................................................................................................   143 Palabras del Embajador José Antonio Tijerino, Representante de Nicaragua ante la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de la Confianza y de la Seguridad .. 147 Palabras del Embajador José Antonio Tijerino, Representante de Nicaragua ante la Conferencia Regional sobre Medidas de la Confianza y de la Seguridad ..  153 Lista de Participantes .................................................................................  159

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As set forth in Article 26 of the Rules of Procedure of the Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the Region held in Santiago, Chile, from 8 to 10 November 1995, the Chair of the Conference forwards the Final Report through the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States.

The General Secretariat publishes this report containing the authentic text of the Declaration of Chile on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the four official languages of the Organization.

The report includes the general statements made by the delegations in their original language, as established in Article 14 of the Conference Rules of Procedure.

I. BACKGROUND

The General Assembly, at its twenty-third regular session, held in Managua, Nicaragua, bearing in mind its decision, contained in the Santiago Commitment, to initiate a process of consultation on hemispheric security in the light of the new conditions in the region and the world, and recognizing the timeliness of increased dialogue on topics of security in the light of the new international situation, adopted resolution AG/RES. 1237 (XXIII-O/93) "Meeting of Experts on Confidence- and Security-building Measures in the Region."^/

Pursuant to the mandate assigned by the General Assembly, the Permanent Council, through the then Special Committee on Hemispheric Security and under the chairmanship of Ambassador Hernán Patiño Mayer, Permanent Representative of Argentina, prepared the agenda and working guidelines for the aforementioned meeting of experts, held in Buenos Aires from March 15 to 18, 1994.

Subsequently, during the twenty-fourth regular session of the General Assembly, the report of the rapporteur for the Meeting of Experts on Confidence- and Security-building Measures^/ and the report of the Permanent Council on this meeting^/ were considered, as a result of which resolution AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94) was adopted, whereby the following was agreed upon, among other matters:

6. To continue, on the basis of the governments’ observations, with the consultations within OAS aimed at organizing and holding a Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-building Measures in the Region in 1995, which Chile has offered to host.

1. Permanent Council

The Permanent Council, at its regular session on November 9, 1994, adopted resolution CP/RES. 639 (1010/94) "Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-building Measures", the operative paragraphs of which read:

1. To hold in 1995, after the twenty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly, a Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-building Measures.

2. To accept the Government of Chile’s offer to host the meeting, and to thank the Government for its willingness to assist in organizing and holding the meeting.

Operative paragraph 3 of the aforementioned resolution CP/RES. 639 (1010/94), defines the mandate given to the Committee on Hemispheric Security^/ and is transcribed below:

To instruct the Special Committee on Hemispheric Security to convene preparatory meetings to be held in Washington in 1995 to prepare the draft agenda and formulate a work plan for the meeting, which should take account of the experience acquired by the Meeting of Experts held in Buenos Aires and of national positions on the matter, and to report back to the Permanent Council.

Moreover, and based on the provisions of paragraph 5 of the aforementioned resolution AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), the Permanent Council adopted resolution CP/RES. 650 (1031/95),^/ resolving as follows:

1. To request the Inter-American Defense Board to examine, in the terms set forth in resolution AG/RES. 1240 (XXIII-O/93), the possibility of drawing up a comprehensive and systematic draft inventory of confidence-building measures being applied in the Hemisphere.

2. To ask the Inter-American Defense Board to submit the completed draft inventory to the Permanent Council for consideration, and if appropriate, to present it thereafter to the Preparatory Meeting of the Conference on Confidence- and Security-building Measures, to be held in Washington, in September 1995.

2. Inter-American Defense Board (IADB)

As instructed in the preceding paragraph, the IADB submitted to the Chair of the Permanent Council the report regarding the draft Inventory of Confidence-building Measures of a Military Nature that are being applied in the Hemisphere.

3. Summit of the Americas

The interest of the region in holding the Conference was reflected in the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas, adopted on December 11, 1994, in which the Heads of State and Government declared:

The governments:

Will support the actions that will encourage a regional dialogue to promote the strengthening of mutual confidence, preparing the way for a regional conference on confidence-building measures in 1995, which Chile has offered to host.

II. WORK PROGRESS

1. Inaugural session

On 8 November 1995, at 5:30 p.m., the Conference was inaugurated at the headquarters of the Diego Portales Building. Speeches were delivered by Ambassador Luiz Augusto de Araujo Castro, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the OAS as Chair of the Permanent Council’s Committee on Hemispheric Security; Mr. César Gaviria Trujillo, Secretary General of the Organization; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Mr. José Miguel Insulza Salinas, who also opened the Conference.

2. Preparatory session

At 6:30 p.m., the preparatory session started working on formalizing the agreements adopted by the Committee on Hemispheric Security, as agreed by the OAS Permanent Council through its resolution CP/RES. 639 (1010/94).

a. Election of Authorities

The Conference proceeded to elect its authorities and, at the proposal of the Brazilian delegation, seconded by the delegations of Costa Rica and Bolivia, Ambassador Pablo Cabrera Gaete, Naval Undersecretary to the Chilean Ministry of Defense, was unanimously elected Chair of the Conference.

At the proposal of the Peruvian delegation, seconded by the Chilean delegation, Mr. Jorge Alberto Carranza, Vice Minister of Public Security of El Salvador, was unanimously elected First Vice Chair of the Conference.

Finally, at the proposal of the Canadian delegation, seconded by the delegation of Honduras, Ambassador Dean R. Lindo, Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS, was unanimously elected Second Vice Chair of the Conference.

b. Agenda

After considering the draft agenda agreed by the Permanent Council’s Special Committee on Hemispheric Security^/, the Conference adopted it without amendments, as follows:

AGENDA

1. Approval of the Draft Rules of Procedure

2. Agreement on the organization of the work.

3. Overall context of confidence- and security-building in the Americas

a. Interdependence of stable democracy, regional integration processes, respect for and the strengthening of international law, education for peace, and the war on poverty

b. The Hemisphere’s contribution to international security

c. Objectives of confidence- and security-building measures in the Americas

4. Identification of confidence- and security-building measures of particular interest to the region

a. Review and analysis of the inventory of confidence-building measures [AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94) and CP/RES. 650 (1031/95)]

b. New proposals regarding possible confidence- and security-building measures

5. Future OAS efforts regarding confidence- and security-building measures

a. Implementation of resolutions AG/RES. 1284 (XXIV-O/94), "Information on Military Expenditures and Register of Conventional Arms," and AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), "Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the Region"

b. Possibility of an exchange of information and other forms of OAS coordination with other organizations that deal with confidence- and security-building matters

c. Organization of seminars and other follow-up measures

6. Declaration of Santiago

c. Rules of procedure

The draft rules of procedures of the Conference agreed by the Committee on Hemispheric Security were adopted without amendments, in accordance with resolution CP/RES. 639 (1010/94).^/

3. First plenary session

The Chair of the Conference opened the first plenary session on 8 November at 6:45 p.m. The Chairman of the Conference then read out the Declaration on Measures to Foster Trust subscribed between Ecuador and Peru.

As set forth in Article 14 of the Conference Rules of Procedures, the plenary session met to hear the general statements of the heads of delegation.

On that occasion, the following statements were heard:

a. Ambassador Fernando Petrella, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Argentina

b. Ambassador Ivan Cannabrava, Undersecretary General of Political Affairs, Brazil

c. Mr. Ralph Lysyshyn, Director General, International Security Bureau, Canada

d. Ambassador Sebastián Alegrett, Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the OAS

e. Dr. Jaime Aparicio Otero, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cult, Bolivia

4. Second Plenary Session

At 10:15 a.m. on 9 November 1995, the Chair of the Conference opened the second plenary session to continue with the general statements of the heads of delegation. After a fourth recess the First Vice Chair continued chairing the session.

In those terms, the following persons spoke in the order set forth below:

a. Mr. John Hollum, Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, United States

b. Ambassador Jorge Voto Bernales, Vice Minister of International Policy and Secretary General to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peru

c. Mr. Jorge Alberto Carranza, Vice Minister of Public Security, El Salvador

d. Dr. Juan Luis Storace, Undersecretary of National Defense to the Ministry of National Defense, Uruguay

e. Major General Wiltan Lherisson, Minister of the Interior and National Defense, Haiti

f. Ambassador Carmen Moreno de Del Cueto, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OAS

g. Dr. Marcelo Fernández de Córdova, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ecuador

h. Air Force Brigadier-General Héctor Adriano Ocampos Díaz, Vice Minister of National Defense, Paraguay

i. Ambassador José Antonio Tijerino, Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the OAS

j. Ambassador Dean R. Lindo, Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS

k. Ambassador Marlene Villela de Talbott, Permanent Representative of Honduras to the OAS

l. Ms. Gail Mathurin, Alternate Representative of Jamaica to the OAS

m. Rear-Admiral Vicente P. Casales, Vice President of the Inter-American Defense Board

n. Ambassador Vladimir I. Chernyshev, Permanent Observer of the Russian Federation to the OAS

o. Mr. Enrique Correa Ríos, Director of FLACSO, Chile.

The Chair of the Conference joined a Working Group, open to all the delegations, to analyse the draft Declaration of Santiago, adopted by the Permanent Council’s Committee on Hemispheric Security.^/

5. Working Group

The Working Group was chaired by the Chairman of the Conference, and held two sessions on 9 November 1995, in which it adopted by consensus the text of the Declaration of Santiago and decided to submit it for consideration by the plenary of the Conference. In addition, the Working Group took note that, if the General Assembly of the OAS decides to hold a regional conference to follow up on the present Conference, the government of El Salvador will offer to host it. 

6. Third plenary session

The third plenary session of the Conference took place at 3:30 p.m. on 9 November 1995 and was chaired by the First Vice Chair of the Conference, Mr. Jorge Alberto Carranza, Vice Minister of Public Security of El Salvador, to consider the Conference agenda, the text of which is transcribed under the heading "Preparatory Session" in this report.

The observations made by the delegates are attached to this report.

At the suggestion of the First Vice Chair of the Conference, it was agreed to note the delegates’ observations to the agenda, the texts of which are attached to this report, and to request the Chair of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States to submit this report for information and consideration by the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth regular session, in compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94). 

7. Fourth plenary session

On 10 November 1995, at 10:00 a.m., the fourth plenary session took place as provided in Article 26 of the Conference Rules of Procedure, in order to consider the conclusions of the Working Group responsible for analyzing the draft Declaration of Santiago.

After hearing the presentation of the draft made by the Chair of the Conference, the Conference agreed to pass by consensus the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, the text of which is transcribed below:

DECLARATION OF SANTIAGO
ON CONFIDENCE- AND SECURITY-BUILDING MEASURES
(Adopted at the fourth plenary session
held on November 10, 1995)

Changes that have taken place in the international arena, the emergence of democratic governments in the Hemisphere, and the end of the Cold War have created a climate conducive to strengthening peace and security in the Hemisphere. The way has thereby been paved for OAS member states of the Organization of American States to continue the necessary process of reflection to eliminate those factors that breed mistrust among states of the Hemisphere and identify new modalities of cooperation to consolidate peace, ensure effective achievement of the purposes of the OAS Charter and adherence to its principles, guarantee effective compliance with international law, and promote ties of friendship and cooperation, all of which will enhance security in the region.

The adoption of confidence- and security-building measures is a significant contribution to transparency, mutual understanding, and regional security, and to the attainment of development goals, including efforts to overcome poverty and protect the environment. Economic, social and cultural development is inextricably linked to international peace and security.

Confidence- and security-building measures must be adapted to the geographic, political, social, cultural and economic conditions of each region, and they have their own scope, as experience in the Hemisphere has amply demonstrated.

Respect for international law, faithful compliance with treaties, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for the sovereignty of states and non-intervention, and prohibition of the use or threat of the use of force in accordance with the terms of the OAS and United Nations Charters are the basis for peaceful coexistence and security in the Hemisphere and constitute the framework of the Organization of American States and the United Nations for the development of confidence- and security-building measures.

The governments express their satisfaction with progress made in the Hemisphere in the area of economic integration, since, in their view, this promotes confidence and security in the region.

An essential condition for achieving an effective international security system is that all states subject themselves to universal, equal, and binding rules.

The agreements arising from the regional and subregional meetings of heads of state and government and from the Summit of the Americas held in Miami in 1994 are important guidelines for strengthening regional security.

Negotiations on security- and confidence-building measures pursued at the subregional level, such as those conducted by the Central American countries through, inter alia, the Central American Commission on Security, make for a stronger climate of security in the Hemisphere.

Other inter-governmental meetings, such as the Williamsburg event held by invitation of the United States (Defense Ministerial of the Americas), contribute to the dialogue and exchange of points of view on this subject.

A key component in the Hemisphere’s contribution to the cause of peace and security is the Treaty of Tlatelolco, whose provisions banning nuclear weapons have made Latin America and the Caribbean the first populated nuclear weapons-free zone in the world. Ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons, and on their Destruction, signed in 1972, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, and on their Destruction, signed in 1992; the conclusion in 1996 of the comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty, and progress in negotiations in the area of weapons of mass destruction, the limitation of conventional weapons, and the prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious or to have indiscriminate effects will contribute to a more secure international environment.

The application of confidence- and security-building measures helps create a climate conducive to effective limitation of conventional weapons, which makes it possible to devote more resources to the economic and social development of member states, which is a basic purpose of the OAS Charter.

The strengthening of bilateral and multilateral dialogue facilitates mutual understanding and increased collaboration in the face of the challenges of the next century. Confidence- and security-building measures in the Americas are especially significant for building ties of friendship and cooperation.

The Meeting of Experts in Buenos Aires in March of 1994, as well as OAS General Assembly resolutions, in particular, AG/RES. 1179 (XXII-O/92), AG/RES. 1284 (XXIV-O/94), and AG/RES. 1288 (XXIV-O/94), and the draft inventory submitted by the Inter-American Defense Board to the Permanent Council in compliance with resolution CP/RES. 650 (1031/95), are noteworthy in the process of identifying confidence- and security-building measures.

In accordance with the foregoing, the governments of the OAS member states, meeting in Santiago, Chile, agree to recommend the application, in the manner that is most suitable, of confidence- and security-building measures, among which the following should be mentioned:

a. Gradual adoption of agreements regarding advance notice of military exercises;

b. Exchange of information and participation of all member states in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the Standardized International Reporting of Military Expenditures;

c. Promotion of the development and exchange of information concerning defense policies and doctrines;

d. Consideration of a consultation process with a view to proceeding towards limitation and control of conventional weapons;

e. Agreements on invitation of observers to military exercises, visits to military installations, arrangements for observing routine operations and exchange of civilian and military personnel for regular and advanced training;

f. Meetings and activities to prevent incidents and increase security for transport by land, sea, and air;

g. Cooperation programs in the event of natural disasters or to prevent such disasters, based on the request and authorization of the affected states;

h. Development and establishment of communications among civilian or military authorities of neighboring countries in accordance with their border situation;

i. Holding of seminars and courses, and studies on mutual confidence- and security-building measures and policies to promote confidence involving the participation of civilians and military personnel, and on the special security concerns of small island states;

j. A High-level meetings on the special security concerns of small island states; and

k. Education Programs of education for peace.

The measures that have been announced require that a series of actions be set in motion for the monitoring and periodic evaluation of their implementation. To that end, the representatives of the OAS member state governments request the Committee on Hemispheric Security to undertake those tasks and to prepare a report on this subject for consideration by the General Assembly at its twenty-sixth regular session, which will decide, inter alia, whether a regional conference should be held to follow up the Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures held in Santiago, Chile.

In view of the importance of knowing about other measures being applied or that might be adopted, the representatives agree to provide periodically to the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security information on the application of confidence- and security-building measures so as to facilitate preparation of the complete and systematic inventory of these measures, as instructed by the OAS General Assembly.

The representatives support continuation of the international negotiations on the prohibition of, traffic in, and indiscriminate use of anti-personnel mines, given the harmful effects that anti-personnel mines have on the civilian population and on economic and social development. In this regard, they recognize the work of mine-clearing in which the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Defense Board are engaged in Central America.

The governments of the Hemisphere attach special priority to identifying the risks, threats and challenges facing the Americas on the threshold of the next millennium, and to promoting an international climate confidence trust and peace based on cooperation in accordance with the objectives and principles of the OAS Charter.

In this context, they commit their efforts toward achieving, as soon as possible, the settlement of ongoing disputes by means of negotiated agreements, inspired by justice and full respect for international law and the treaties in force.

The representatives agree that the Americas are in a position to contribute to bolstering international peace and security effectively through an exchange of experiences in confidence- and security-building measures with other regions.

The representatives state for the record their appreciation to the Government of Chile for the warm welcome extended to them and the fine organization of the meeting. They also extend their appreciation to the General Secretariat of the OAS.

SANTIAGO, November 10, 1995

8. Style Committee

In its fourth plenary session, the Conference established a Style Committee with the delegations of Brazil, Canada, Chile and the United States. The Style Committee will correct defects in form and will ensure the consistency of the text of the Declaration of Santiago on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures in the four official languages of the Organization. 

9. Closing session

The closing session was held on 10 November 1995 at 11:00 a.m. with the attendance of Mr. José Miguel Insulza Salinas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile, and Mr. César Gaviria Trujillo, Secretary-General of the Organization.

Ambassador Dean R. Lindo, Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS, delivered a speech highlighting the significance of the agreements reached by the Conference and expressed his appreciation on behalf of the delegations to the government and people of Chile for the warm welcome they received in Santiago.

Finally, the Chair of the Conference spoke a few words to express his gratification at the success achieved by the Conference on adopting the Declaration of Santiago. He also expressed his satisfaction that the participant delegations had had a pleasant stay in Santiago.

III. LISTA DE DOCUMENTOS PUBLICADOS

APPENDIX

CONFERÊNCIA REGIONAL SOBRE MEDIDAS DE
FORTALECIMENTO DA CONFIANÇA E DA
SEGURANÇA
8 a 10 de novembro de 1995
Santiago, Chile
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2 
COSEGRE/INF.1/95
8 novembro 1995
Original: português

 

DISCURSO DO PRESIDENTE DA COMISSÃO DE SEGURANÇA HEMISFÉRICA DA

ORGANIZAÇÃO DOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS, EMBAIXADOR LUIZ AUGUSTO DE

ARAUJO CASTRO, REPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DO BRASIL JUNTO À OEA

Senhor Presidente, Senhor Secretário-Geral, Senhores Chefes de Delegação, Minhas Senhoras e meus Senhores:

É para mim uma honra e um prazer muito especial poder dirigir-me, como Presidente da Comissão Hemisférica da Organização dos Estados Americanos, a esta Conferência Regional sobre Medidas de Fortalecimento da Confiança e da Segurança.

Este encontro de alto nível, que deve abrir perspectivas sem precedentes de cooperação entre os países de nosso Hemisfério, se inaugura após um processo cuidadoso de reflexão e preparação.

Um passo importante nesse processo foi a Reunião de Peritos realizada em Buenos Aires em março de 1994. Em junho do mesmo ano, a Assembléia Geral de Belém do Pará tomou a decisão de caminhar em direção a uma Conferência Regional. No final do ano, por recomendação da então Comissão Especial de Segurança Hemisférica, o Conselho Permanente convocou esta Conferência, cuja importância foi reconhecida pelos Chefes de Estado e de Governo na Cúpula de Miami e reafirmada pela Assembléia Geral realizada no Haiti em junho de 1995 e por ocasião da Reunião Ministerial de Defesa das Américas que teve lugar em Williamsburg no final do mesmo mês.

Desde o momento de sua criação, em agosto deste ano, a nova Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica tem estado concentrada na tarefa de ir definindo e apurando as áreas de interesse comum e de consenso que poderiam ser tratadas na Conferência que hoje se inaugura. Os resultados dos trabalhos preparatórios realizados pela Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica estão refletidos no relatório contido no documento CP/doc.2653/95 rev. 1, que tive a honra de submeter no dia primeiro de novembro à consideração do Conselho Permanente, em cumprimento à resolução CP/RES.639 (1010/94). Como se registra no relatório do Conselho Permanente sobre a matéria (documento COSEGRE/doc.12/95), o Conselho decidiu então tomar nota do relatório do Presidente da Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica e transmiti-lo, com seus anexos, a esta Conferência.

É com satisfação que registro a atitude extremamente cooperativa e construtiva demonstrada pelo Governo chileno em todas as etapas do processo preparatório para esta Conferência, desde o oferecimento para sediá-la — numa reafirmação de seu compromisso com a causa da revitalização da OEA, impulso decisivo para a qual foi dada pela histórica Assembléia Geral realizada nesta capital em 1991 - até o papel central desempenhado pelos representantes do Chile no trabalho de elaboração dos documentos básicos da Conferência.

Não posso deixar de lembrar que a condução do processo preparatório para a Conferência esteve em suas fases iniciais a cargo do Embaixador Hernán Patiño Mayer, que presidiu a anterior Comissão Especial sobre Segurança Hemisférica. Sem o entusiasmo e o talento que meu colega argentino sempre demonstrou no exercício de suas funções na OEA, nós não estaríamos hoje aqui.

Senhor Presidente,

Reunimo-nos em Santiago para dar mais um passo adiante, um passo cuidadosamente estudado mas extremamente significativo no processo de cooperação entre as nações das Américas na área da segurança hemisférica. Reunimo-nos para intercambiar idéias e tomar decisões sobre o que pode e deve ser feito para fortalecer o espírito de confiança mútua que felizmente tem sido a regra que distingue nossa região do mundo. Reunimo-nos para reforçar o espírito de confiança mútua que reflete o apego dos países de nossa região ao diálogo, ao bom entendimento e à cooperação, às soluções pacíficas e diplomáticas, ao não-uso da força, ao respeito às normas de direito internacional consagradas na Carta da OEA - o espírito de confiança mútua que tem permitido que em seu conjunto os países da América Latina e do Caribe sejam os menos armados do mundo.

No âmbito da Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica, preparamos conjuntamente um projeto de agenda que reúne os temas de interesse comum sobre os quais estou certo teremos nesta Conferência uma rica e útil troca de idéias e informações e adotaremos decisões que servirão de base para uma cooperação cada vez mais produtiva.

Redigimos um projeto de regulamento que incorpora expressamente, entendo que pela primeira vez na história da OEA, o intuito de alcançar decisões não pelo voto mas pelo consenso.

E elaboramos, após longas e delicadas negociações abertas à participação igualitária de todos os países membros da OEA, um projeto do documento que deverá vir a ser conhecido, ao ser adotado por consenso, como todos esperamos, no encerramento deste encontro, como a Declaração de Santiago sobre o Fortalecimento da Confiança e da Segurança.

O projeto que foi aprovado pela Comissão e submetido pelo Conselho Permanente à consideração da Conferência é um documento que procura refletir um consenso, um máximo denominador comum entre as posições nacionais dos Estados membros da OEA. Como todo documento que resulta de um processo negociador diplomático multilateral, o projeto é passível de aperfeiçoamento - e será essa uma das principais tarefas desta Conferência.

Algumas delegações tem indicado o propósito de recorrer a seu direito de reapresentar aqui sugestões que formularam em Washington sobre matérias de seu legítimo interesse mas que não chegaram a alcançar consenso nas consultas promovidas pela Comissão de Segurança Hemisférica. Estou certo de que todas as delegações aqui reunidas estarão dispostas a fazer um último esforço para tentar aprofundar e ampliar ainda mais o já notável grau de consenso hemisférico que se reflete no atual projeto de Declaração de Santiago.

Qualquer que seja o resultado dessas consultas, estou convencido de que o intercâmbio de idéias que se realizará durante a Conferência e a adoção de uma Declaração nos moldes do projeto que temos diante de nós representarão um passo de singular relevância para a consecução do propósito central deste encontro: o fortalecimento da confiança e da segurança entre os países das Américas.

Muito obrigado.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONFIDENCE
AND SECURITY-BUILDING MEASURES IN THE REGION
November 8-10, 1995
Santiago, Chile
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2
COSEGRE/INF.2
8 November 1995
Original: English

95STATEMENT BY THE HEAD OF THE BRAZILIAN DELEGATION,
AMBASSADOR IVAN CANNABRAVA, UNDERSECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS
OF THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Mr. President,

It is with great satisfaction that I congratulate you on your election as President of this Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures. It is most appropriate that this Conference is being held in the city of Santiago, the scene of historical events for the Inter-american system, among which the "Santiago Commitment for Democracy and the Renewal of the Inter-american System". The warm reception offered to us on this occasion confirms Chile’s hospitality and its firm dedication to the Pan-American ideal. Brazil is proud to maintain with Chile exemplary ties of friendship since the beginning of our existence as independent nations. Brazil attaches great importance to this Conference as a step further, and a highly significant one, in the process of joint consideration of issues of great interest and relevance.

The outstanding characteristic of the American Hemisphere in the final years of this century is the convergence of values, democratic ideals and economic freedom flourish among us and open promising avenues of cooperation. We are aware of the differences which persist among the various regions, but we have already convinced ourselves that the enhancement of political dialogue is the best way to achieve progress. We all want to ensure the benefits of modernity; but we also know that there are great challenges before us, challenges that can only be overcome through understanding among the peoples of our Hemisphere.

Gentlemen, nothing is more modern that peace. In this field, our efforts are noteworthy. The democratic nations of Latin America and the Caribbean compose the least armed region of the globe. The well-known success of the process of integration among our countries, the virtual absence of external threats to the region and the concentration of efforts in support of ideals of harmony and development make our region an example to the rest of the international community.

In the last few years, great steps have been taken for the consolidation of this privileged situation. It is only fair and necessary that we recognize and value our achievements, which constitute an important patrimony and a concrete expression of what has been already done and of the great potential to be realized through our individual and cooperative actions.

Among these achievements, the actions aimed at banning weapons of mass destruction from our region deserve a special mention. Brazil has given numerous demonstrations, both unilaterally and together with other countries, of its efforts in the area of non-proliferation. The successive and wide-ranging initiatives in the fields of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons which have been adopted by Brazil and Argentina since the 1980’s are and excellent example of confidence-building measures, conceived in the context of bilateral relations and implemented with the cooperation of regional and global multilateral mechanisms, such as OPANAL and the IAAE. In the area of chemical and biological weapons, reference should be made to the Mendoza Declaration, which we signed with Argentina and Chile. Less than a month ago Brazil was admitted by acclamation as a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Recently, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso announced that Brazil does not possess and does not intend to produce, import or export long-range military missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. The region as whole is firmly committed to non-proliferation. We encourage the early entry into force of the Convention on Chemical Weapons and the conclusion of a Comprehensive Test-ban-Treaty (CTBT).

Likewise, we take note with satisfaction of the efforts carried out by other countries in the region to settle disputes and create conditions for the strengthening of peace and security. The evolution of the understandings between Ecuador and Peru and the Central American experience on the subject of this Conference deserve to the applauded and encouraged by all of us.

Our record of searching for peace, of respect for International Law and for the peaceful settlement of disputes encourages us to seek to improve the instruments which historically have favored this enviable situation in the Hemisphere. There is still much to be done. It is against this background that we understand the importance of promoting the adoption of confidence- and security-building measures. Because they contribute to the promotion of dialogue and to the lessening of tensions, these measures are positive in themselves. To be effective, however, it is necessary that they be related to our strategic reality and to our historical circumstances. Otherwise, the automatic transplanting of models from other regions may be counterproductive and may generate mistrust. Inadequate initiatives would submit us to the risk of having our attention turned away from the concrete problems and from the real obstacles to the strengthening of mutual confidence.

The Brazilian Government feels very much at ease in dealing with this topic, in the light of more than a century of uninterrupted peace with its neighbors and of the implementation of a wide range of military and non-military confidence-building measures with these countries. The real challenge is to strengthen the existing cooperation.

In the military sphere, we note with satisfaction the increase and diversification, in the entire Hemisphere, of instances of contact and exchange of experiences, training and intelligence among our Armed Forces. It is natural that this process continue and deepen with the acceleration of the integration among our countries and the gradual occupation of scarcely populated border areas. We see border areas as regions with particular characteristics, which demand joint solutions to specific problems. Several initiatives in this regard can be labelled as confidence-building measures. That is the case of the cooperation mechanisms in border areas, such as the Committees on Neighborly Relations and Border Region Development which Brazil has established with neighboring countries. In a broader sense, we believe that the improvement in the political relationship among our countries, a natural expectation in a continent that has opted unequivocally for democracy and that marches steadily towards economic integration, will lead to the desired strengthening of the relations of friendship and cooperation.

The Organization of American States has a key role to play in this process. A pioneer as a regional organization in the field of the maintenance of peace and security, the OAS already possesses a comprehensive and up-dated normative framework on questions related to hemispheric security. The recent transformation of the Special Committee on Hemispheric Security into a Permanent Body will serve to further strengthen the role of the Organization as a forum on the question of security in the Hemisphere. In this context, I wish to note that Brazil felt honored by the election of its Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Luiz Augusto de Araujo Castro, as the first Chairman of that new Committee.

To conclude, I wish to express our positive assessment of the Draft Declaration prepared by the Committee on Hemispheric Security and submitted by the Permanent Council to the consideration of the Conference. We understand that the Draft, which resulted from extensive negotiations among our Permanent Representatives to the OAS, constitutes and excellent basis for the Declaration that we hope will be adopted by consensus at the end of this Conference.

Thus, all of us gathered here - from North America, Central America, The Caribbean and South America - will be giving another demonstration of our capacity to work together, united by the most noble democratic ideals, for a future of peace and prosperity.

Thank you.

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONFIDENCE
AND SECURITY-BUILDING MEASURES
November 8-10, 1995
Santiago, Chile
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2
COSEGRE/INF.3/95
8 November 1995
Original: Spanish

ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES DR. CESAR GAVIRIA
AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE "REGIONAL CONFERENCE
ON CONFIDENCE- AND SECURITY-BUILDING MEASURES"

(Santiago, Chile, 8 November 1995)

First of all I would like to thank the Chilean people, President Frei and Minister Insulza for the generous hospitality they have offered the Organization of American States and the participants at this meeting. Chile today is a vivid example of how much our region can achieve when there is firm national consensus in connection with the defense of democracy and an efficient strategy of economic development. Liberty and prosperity go hand in hand in this land. I extend the attestation of admiration and solidarity of all the Americas to the people of Chile and its democracy.

The Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures that inaugurates today, represents a significant step forward for the inter-American system. I have no doubt that this event will give rise to the elements that will nurture a new vision of hemispheric security.

For the first time since the end of the "cold war", and after months of intense work, we are gathered today to discuss the topics of peace and security in a political and inter-American context. We have got to this point thanks to the effort and interest shown by all the member states, but I would like to make special mention of the contributions of Ambassador Araujo Castro, representative of Brazil and current Chairman of the Special Committee dealing with these topics; Ambassador Patiño Mayer, former representative of Argentina to the Organization, and Ambassador Vargas Carreño, representative of the host country and one of the enlightened men on inter-American topics.

Nobody today has any doubt that we are living in a new world. The end of East-West confrontation, the disappearance of authoritarianism and dictatorship in Latin America, the surmounting of many internal conflicts, economic integration, the transit toward democracy, are some of the major manifestations of current times. This emergent context offers us the opportunity to progress constructively toward finding new forms of cooperation to consolidate peace and security in the Hemisphere.

But as is always the case when opportunities present themselves, if there is no discipline to examine them nor will to take advantage of them, they will be no more than lost illusions. Herein lies the value of this Conference. It is a testimony that the countries of the Americas do not want to let this historic juncture go by without working toward creating a framework for inter-American politico-military relations that will enable the promises inherent to the emergence of a new international order to become concrete realities.

However, such a profound change in the parameters of the international system not only generates opportunities but also challenges. The end of communism has not meant the disappearance of confrontation, threats or war. Every day we observe adverse events and situations that remind us that we are far from getting to the end of the story. This combination of new opportunities and previously unknown challenges makes it inevitable to think anew about our approach, both at a national and collective level, toward defense and security.

The main obstacle we face to redefine the agenda and institutionality of hemispheric security is the great distance that exists between past circumstances and present reality.

For over forty years, the western world had in the Soviet block and communism a strategic and irreconcilable enemy. For forty years there was little margin for confusion. There was a cleary defined threat which had the potential not only to affect the security of a country but to place the physical and political survival of the entire Hemisphere at risk. This provided a highly hazardous but at the same time basically simple context. We all knew who the enemy was.

Since after World War II and up to a few years ago, the main strategic objective of hemispheric security and national defense was the external and internal constraint of communism. The perceived magnitude of this threat made other values and objectives, such as protection of human rights, preservation of democracy and even respect for national sovereignty and the operation of international law, become subordinate to the inevitable hierarchy of fear.

And, in that context, it was not difficult to forge alliances and common principles. Nobody dared to be alone. There was very little space for diversity. You were either a friend or a foe.

The great paradox is that the welcome disappearance of communism as a basic threat has created a conceptual crisis in strategic thinking. The tremendous benefits offered by the disappearance of the East-West confrontation are unquestionable. But from the viewpoint of hemispheric security and military doctrine, this scenario has generated a great deal of confusion.

We are living a transition from the "old order" with an obsolete set of values, strategies and policies, to a different one we are just beginning to glimpse. Some believe it is better to let the past gradually fade away, allowing events to determine, almost by spontaneous generation, the adjustments that current circumstances require. Other defend the need to "take the bull by the horns" and by a vigorous exercise in multilateral leadership, build a new hemispheric security agenda for the XXI century.

I belong to this second group. I feel that if Latin America and the Caribbean abstain from assuming a leading role in the definition of the new values, parameters and institutions for future hemispheric security, these will not reflect their aspirations and priorities adequately. The way to guarantee that the system emerging from the ruins of the "cold war" will be balanced and in harmony with the collective interest is for all inter-American players to participate actively in their design and implementation.

Although I realize that there is a culture of distrust generated by the huge imbalances that coexist in the continent, in addition to scars remaining from past episodes of unilateralism, it is indispensable to put these circumstances behind us in order to take advantage of the current historic juncture. Problems will not disappear simply by turning our back on them. If we refuse to make deliberate efforts to build a new, orderly and transparent system for hemispheric security, some other system will emerge anyway, but in the form of an ad-hoc scheme, full of uncertainty, with no predictable parameters, standards of behavior, control nor balance.

It is for this reason that exercises such as this Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, the Summit of the Americas and the meetings you may agree to hold in the near future, are vitally important. They are all steps in this effort of collective reflection that is to lead us to define a new agenda for the inter-American security system. With no great rush, but without pause, we must keep moving ahead. It is therefore useful to continue to evaluate the progress of our discussions in order to define the appropriate moment to hold a Hemispheric Security Conference.

There are certain fundamental facts that configurate the new strategic scenario and that must serve as a basis for this necessary analysis. Allow me to summarize them briefly.

First and most obviously, as we have already mentioned, is the disappearance of communism as a threat. Secondly, there is less vulnerability and a lower propensity toward conflict as a result of converging interests and values among the countries. This is because the return of democracy in the Hemisphere in general helps to guarantee a climate of security and military cooperation. Even though it is not an unshakable rule, democratic nations tend to solve their conflicts peacefully.

And third, phenomena such as organized crime, international terrorism, drug trafficking and arms proliferation in the hands of civilian criminal groups, for example, have become a central source of threats to regional security. These problems are faced by all countries without exception and they are invested with a force that projects beyond national frontiers.

In short, new strategic thinking must cater to a hemispheric environment that is less conflict-ridden and more naturally inclined toward cooperation, where agreement will be the basis for multilateral action, where efforts combine together to fight against common enemies and where national interests and democratic values converge to create a system of values that will create a bond between all members of the community of the Americas.

In this context, and even though no formal political or legal agreement has been reached, we could say that the discussions up to now have been leading to a consensus with regard to the principles that are to sustain the new doctrine of security for the Americas.

What concept of security can be applied to this new environment in order to take advantage of its possibilities and maximize its potential for peace? This topic has been addressed within the American scenario. Many have suggested that the new guiding principle should be cooperative security, in which the main objective is to create conditions of security the stability of which will depend on mutual trust, regulation of military capacity and predictability of the actions of all participants.

In this context, military capacity would be legitimately restricted to protecting the national territory, the constitutional system and civil rights; the armed forces would have a clearly defensive configuration; there would be complete transparency regarding the peaceful intentions of the nations through mutual communication of their military budgets and an exchange of information regarding operations, exercises and purchasing of war material; and, finally, once this approach has become well established, we could begin to think in terms of a coordinated, limited and gradual integration of some national security operations at a multilateral level. Without any doubt, the Chilean Conference on Confidence-Building Measures is a decisive step toward constructing this new concept of cooperative security.

Naturally, cooperative security, or any new scheme adopted by the Hemisphere to guarantee civic peace and tranquility should begin by recognizing the potential threats and risks that affect the countries involved. Even though we must admit that there are major differences in perception with regard to the threats that affect the different nations and sub-regions of the continent, I would like to venture a summary of the phenomena that have a multilateral scope.

Undoubtedly the first risk to peace and security in the Americas is the existence of different kinds of disputes. In spite of considerable progress achieved in these matters, some inventories suggest that there are still around thirty unresolved issues throughout the continent. As we have seen only recently, several of these disputes have the potential to provoke warlike confrontations.

Even though it is fundamental to recognize that the peaceful settlement of disputes is a matter that concerns the countries involved, it is possible to think of the continent -as a whole- resolving to overcome all those issues, by peaceful means, within a reasonable period of time. We must set ourselves a horizon, no matter how generous, but one that will give future generations the assurance that the threat of war between kindred nations will disappear for ever.

It is thus set forth in Chapter Five of our Organization’s, that "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".

Likewise, the Organization of American States could contribute -as is also suggested by the Charter- to make available to member states on request, any technical, legal and diplomatic resources that may be necessary to provide alternatives aimed at lowering potential factors of tension and overcoming the issues that are generating discord or conflict in the region.

On these subjects the greatest contribution to peace is full respect for the sovereignty of the states and compliance with international law. For this reason, one of the main confidence-building sources is to increase what we could call "legal security". That is to say, as relations between the states become codified and legally regulated through explicit commitments and pursuant to mutually acceptable parameters, there will be less incentive for or likelihood of conflicts breaking out.

It is therefore necessary for us not to subestimate the importance of our making a renewed effort to expand inter-American law to encompass new issues concerning the relations between the states. As economic integration is enhanced, interdependence becomes accentuated and all kinds of other relations between our countries are intensified, possibilities for cooperation will undoubtedly arise, but so will new opportunities for divergence. The creation of legal instruments to address the new topics emerging on the inter-American agenda is a strategy that would yield substantial dividends toward building confidence among nations.

It is undoubtedly true that the strategic confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States is a thing of the past. But throughout the continent there are remnants of the "cold war" that continue to represent a threat to democracy and security in several of the Organization’s member states.

In Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and other countries there are insurgent groups that still maintain a revolutionary attitude, affecting the security of the population and the state at all times. In several cases those groups represent, for different reasons, a real threat to democracy.

Even though the preferred policy option should be negotiation over confrontation, the countries of the Hemisphere should maintain an attitude of solidarity and support toward overcoming conflicts. Detachment or "disengagement" in terms of political support and even in matters related to the provision of military supplies to countries that are facing serious internal threats, can provoke resentment among the military establishments and favor an up scaling of conflicts.

When a democracy is internally threatened we should be indifferent if that threat issues from the extreme right or the extreme left. Whoever seeks to disturb the viability of democracy by refusing to accept the legitimate channels that are offered to exert their political rights should be shunned by the hemispheric community.

Even though concern for the protection of human rights and the operation of public liberties is unquestionable, no matter what the internal conditions of the countries may be, we cannot turn our backs on those nations that persist in their efforts to build or perfect their democracies, in spite of having to face the challenge of belligerent insurgencies that are reluctant to reach agreements by means of peaceful negotiation. We must recognize that for some democracies in the Hemisphere, the "cold war" continues to be a living and latent threat within their own boundaries.

From the perspective of hemispheric security there is no question that today there is a constellation of common topics with a potential to enlist collective and multilateral action. There are new threats to peace, to the stability of democracies and to security that are not traditional in nature. International terrorism, the drug problem, transnational criminal activities, deterioration of civil security, refugees, illegal immigration, arms trafficking, illegal exploitation of natural resources, are some major examples.

These concerns are undoubtedly common to all the countries of the Hemisphere, but there is still a large gap to be filled and much work to be done before we can confidently say that these topics are part of a new joint and hemispheric agenda for cooperative security.

The preference for addressing these topics in an essentially unilateral fashion or the simple absence of a multilateral approach reduce the effectiveness with which the Hemisphere is facing the new threats. The countries within the sanctuary of the Organization of American States are undoubtedly called upon to adopt a vigorous role to develop indispensable concurrences within a concept of cooperative security in order to build truly inter-American strategies that will allow us to defeat the new enemies of our democracies. This is unquestionably one of the main contributions of the Plan of Action that issued from the Summit of the Americas. We now have a backbone on which to construct this new vision.

Some of these "new topics" are not only threats per se. In some cases they also have a dangerous potential to become factors of bilateral tension or dispute between different groups of countries, if we do not achieve true convergence with regard to objectives, policies and methods to confront those challenges. For instance, the mere fact that drug trafficking or illegal immigration are problems that affect us all will not automatically give rise to a multilateral consensus about how to deal with them.

It is necessary to devote a great deal of energy to arrive at a collective and multilateral perception of those issues, not only because it makes these efforts more effective, but also because it avoids disagreement and tension between member countries.

In addition, it is necessary to include in the discussions on hemispheric security the perspective that has been contributed by several Caribbean delegations in terms of the particular needs of that sub-region with regard to defending and fighting against the new threats. Undoubtedly the magnitude of the resources of organized crime and international terrorism are sufficient to represent a threat to the very survival of the insular democracies. For this reason, the O.A.S. must work closely with delegations of the Caribbean and CARICOM to find innovative mechanisms that will offer true solidarity and some collective instruments capable of improving the security of this group of nations.

Up to now we have concentrated on discussing topics that affect or promote confidence and security between nations. But there is another equally transcendental topic to ensure that we will have a peaceful and democratic Hemisphere. I refer to the relations between civilian society and the military. And if we are talking about measures of confidence, we must not forget those that must be implemented to improve the credibility and substantiation of the military forces in the minds of the people.

It is necessary to work together to make the dialogue between civilians and the military more fluid and constructive. Democracy must learn that it needs its military and that, above all, they provide an essential constitutional guarantee for territorial integrity, the protection of civil rights and liberties and the state.

In turn, the military must learn once and for all that stability and security are impossible without their strict subordination to the civil power and the constitutional regime it embodies. No army can replace the security and stability that a legitimate, efficacious and participative democracy provides.

Armed institutions must open up ever broader spaces for society to participate in the discussion and design of national defense policies, and to allow the pursuit of security, peace and tranquility to be above all a resolve jointly undertaken by all sectors.

To conclude, I would like to set forth some very simple conclusions regarding the current status of the debate and process of building a new concept of hemispheric security.

First, the Hemisphere does not yet have a sufficiently tailored security agenda capable of replacing, in practice and explicitly, the orientations that were imposed during the "cold war". Even though we have progressed in terms of identifying the values and foundations for a new strategic vision, it would be excessive to affirm that we have reached a consensus that is accepted by or acceptable to all.

Second, and unlike the past, where the only priority on the security agenda was the fight against communism, today we have a much broader spectrum of common topics. Confidence-building, peaceful settlement of disputes and the fight against new threats are examples of the issues that undoubtedly muster the interest of all countries. But the fact is that we are far from reaching a consensus regarding objectives, policies and instruments for multilateral cooperation on these fronts.

Third, we cannot assume that the democratization of Latin America is an irreversible process. Therefore, one of the essential tasks of hemispheric security in the next decades will not only be to preserve and defend democracy but also to stimulate its growth through political, economic and social measures.

No agreement has yet been reached regarding the scope and shape the collective efforts to defend endangered democracies should have. This is an area of discussion that, although sensitive, we must not avoid, but in any event should be addressed within a framework of full respect of international law.

Fourth, the design of a new strategic vision for the Hemisphere will be a complex task. The simple substitution of one definition of threat, communism, by another, whether it is drugs, illegal immigration or terrorism, is not enough to provide the answers that are required to build a true common enterprise.

Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, never before has there been such a clear window of opportunity to change the politico-military relations in the Hemisphere so that they may be a true reflection of collective interest. Our security before was a consequence derived from world events. Now we have the chance to define our own destiny by building a common security agenda to serve our own values.

I have made this frank account of the possibilities we have available and the obstacles we must overcome to arrive at a new vision of security because I am convinced that the best way to progress is to pinpoint -in order to overcome- anything that blocks the path toward materializing our common objectives.

Mr. President, Ministers, Ambassadors, Delegates and friends:

This Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures is a landmark in the history of the inter-American system. The member states have met here to recommend a series of actions that we must bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally adopt to ensure peace and civic tranquility. That in itself is a significant contribution.

But the scope is much broader. By the simple fact of starting this dialogue, we have begun to walk along the path that is to take us to a vision of cooperative security that will muster, without exception, the solidarity and interest of all the peoples of America.

Thank you very much.

CONFERENCIA REGIONAL SOBRE MEDIDAS DE FOMENTO
DE LA CONFIANZA Y DE LA SEGURIDAD
8 al 10 de noviembre de 1995
Santiago, Chile
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2
COSEGRE/INF.4/95
9 noviembre 1995
Original: español

DISCURSO DEL DOCTOR JUAN LUIS STORACE, SUBSECRETARIO DE DEFENSA NACIONAL DE LA REPÚBLICA ORIENTAL DEL URUGUAY ANTE LA CONFERENCIA DE LA ORGANIZACIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS AMERICANOS SOBRE MEDIDAS DE FOMENTO DE LA CONFIANZA Y DE LA SEGURIDAD

Nuestro país se siente reconfortado de poder participar en esta conferencia regional sobre medidas de fomento de la confianza y la seguridad y agradece y felicita a chile por la ya tradicional hospitalidad y el importante aporte a la seguridad hemisférica.

Como punto de partida de nuestra exposición debemos considerar la situación de la región.

Debemos recordar, pues partiendo, de una visión política orientada al concepto de seguridad integral que la democracia representa un factor esencial a la estabilidad y este, a su vez, a la paz y cooperación entre estados, sin olvidar el necesario desarrollo económico de la región como factor de seguridad.

Diversos signos de homogeneidad y de intensificación de los vínculos de cooperación constituyen, también rasgos positivos en nuestro continente. Además de la vigencia amplia de regímenes democráticos, la similar concepción de las políticas económicas en aplicación en el continente.

En el ámbito de la cooperación, la revitalización de los procesos de integración tanto bilaterales como multilaterales (Nafta, Mercosur, Grupo Andino, Grupo de los tres y los organismos de concertación política, Grupo de Río, Cumbre Iberoamericana, etc.).

Cabe destacar que a diferencia del pasado, tales esquemas de integración no se conciben como bloques antagónicos sino como procesos con un alto grado de apertura y comunicación que, incluso, pueden converger hacia formas de integración económica y política que, esperamos alcancen en el futuro a todo el continente bajo un único sistema.

A su vez en el área del desarme nuclear la vigencia plena en gran parte del continente del tratado de Tlatelolco de 1967, pionero a nivel mundial en la creación de un área libre de armas atómicas y el compromiso de mendoza establecido en septiembre de 1991 entre brasil, chile, argentina y uruguay sobre control de armas de destrucción masiva.

Deploramos todos los ensayos nucleares efectuados recientemente y formalizamos un llamamiento a los estados todos a cesar esas pruebas así como suscribir tratados de prohibición de ensayos nucleares.

Es de señalar que existen y han prosperado otros aspectos positivos que fomentan la seguridad mediante medidas de confianza que tienden a la paz regional.

En este sentido, el desarrollo del derecho internacional como forma de incrementar la confianza unida a la necesidad de sistemas de solución pacífica de controversias.

Los contactos parlamentarios para tratar cuestiones relativas a la seguridad son fiel reflejo del desarrollo de la interrelación entre los estados de América.

Otro aspecto positivo que nuestro país considera trascendente como elemento de integración entre naciones es el relativo a la participación en operaciones de mantenimiento de la paz dispuestas por las naciones unidas o producto de tratados internacionales. La tradición de nuestro país y del ejército uruguayo en la promoción de la paz se remonta a los albores de la nacionalidad y se continua ininterrumpidamente hasta nuestros días. En este siglo las primeras participaciones se producen en 1935 en el acuerdo de paz que puso fin a la guerra del Chaco entre paraguay y bolivia y en 1952, año en que se inicia la concurrencia de observadores al conflicto de la india y Pakistán que se mantiene hasta el presente.

Pero es a partir de la concurrencia de un batallón a camboya en mayo de 1992 que este tipo de misión tomo un volumen, intensidad y frecuencia considerables. Desde entonces se han cumplido 6 misiones y se encuentran en ejecución, otras 10. Mas de 6.800 Hombres han pasado por esta experiencia y hoy se encuentran en esas misiones 980 efectivos que representan un porcentaje de casi 6% del total de nuestras fuerzas, de los cuales 152 son oficiales representando casi un 10% del total.

Por ultimo, debemos mencionar como aspecto positivo en la región la toma de conciencia de los estados en cuanto a la protección del medio ambiente, la difusión educativa a todo nivel así como la necesidad de aplicar sanciones o condenas a los infractores, ya sea a nivel interno de los países o que posean carácter internacional.

Como contrapartida de los elementos positivos que anotamos en la región se encuentran las amenazas que afectan a la seguridad hemisférica entendida esta como seguridad integral, esto es, un concepto que excede el de seguridad militar o tradicional sino que en el mismo debemos incluir las cuestiones políticas, sociales y económicas.

La seguridad tomada en su acepción tradicional plantea la consideración de ciertos riesgos o amenazas para la cual es necesario poner en funcionamiento medidas de fomento de la confianza entre los estados de la región. En este sentido en una conferencia reciente celebrada en punta del este entre la unión europea y el Grupo de Río se han publicitado, en detalle las medidas de confianza que ha desarrollado la unión europea entre sus miembros consolidando la paz y la confianza entre las naciones de europa con los logros magníficos que ostentan hoy día para orgullo de la humanidad toda.

En América se han desarrollado o se han de desarrollar también medidas de fomento de la confianza y seguridad entre estados que sin agotar ni por asomo la lista consisten o consistirán en:

- la información previa sobre maniobras de unidades militares,

- notificación previa de movimientos cercanos a las fronteras,

- reuniones periódicas de estados mayores de las fuerzas armadas,

- intercambio de información sobre presupuestos militares, producción y/o adquisición de equipos y armamentos, etc.

En materia diplomática, puede citarse como medidas de fomento de la confianza, la realización de cursos sobre desarme y seminarios de carácter académico con participación de funcionarios diplomáticos y militares sobre temas referentes al concepto amplio de seguridad.

En este mismo sentido, pero de carácter educativo o cultural nos encontramos con el fomento a la promoción de estudios sobre desarme, seguridad y desarrollo.

En los alcances sociales y económicos del concepto de seguridad integral podemos identificar entre otras a:

- Realización de proyectos conjuntos de desarrollo económico, en particular en zonas de frontera.

- Establecimiento de zonas de libre comercio y procesos de integración económica.

- Establecimiento de mecanismos de consulta, negociación y solución de controversias de carácter económico.

- Y por último, abstenerse los estados de la región de ejercer políticas, acciones o medidas que tengan efectos adversos sobre el desarrollo de otros estados miembros.

Resulta conveniente la mención a la necesidad de elaborar y aplicar estrategias completas y amplias de lucha contra la corrupción, adoptando mecanismos de cooperación para combatirlo teniendo en cuenta que la corrupción debilita el sistema democrático constituyendo un factor de desintegración social y distorsión del sistema político.

Por tanto, el estrictamente regional no cabe duda alguna que la consolidación democrática y el desarrollo económico, resultan los temas mas importantes; aquella porque aun hoy día las ideas republicanas aparecen mas solidas que las propias instituciones que respaldan dicho sistema; y en lo económico porque sin un desarrollo adecuado y mas justo se dificulta todo empreendimiento viable.

Nuestro país propone como soluciones la búsqueda de nuevos contenidos, a fin de ordenar y armonizar las tendencias de cooperación en los distintos ámbitos que someramente hemos anotado.

Posibilitar pues, las sistematización de las interacciones de los países con la finalidad de identificar y prevenir las amenazas evitando la transformación en tensiones, crisis o aun confrontaciones.

Ampliar el concepto de seguridad dejando de lado el tradicional de sinónimo de militar pero el mas moderno y ajustado de seguridad integral que abarque todos los aspectos ya sean militares, políticos, sociales, económicos, etc.

Para concluir, nuestro apoyo reiterado a las ventajas que ofrece las naciones unidas a nivel universal y la OEA a nivel hemisférico, como garantes de respeto a las normas de derecho internacional tales como:

- solución pacifica de controversias, no ingerencia en asuntos internos de otros estados, cooperación en la búsqueda de soluciones pacificas a los problemas internacionales, igualdad de derechos y libre determinación de los pueblos.

El carácter universal que inviste la titularidad del derecho a la paz y seguridad internacional determina que solo las acciones que están fundadas en el consenso tienen la garantía de su perdurabilidad.

En este sentido confiamos que a partir de esta reunión transitaremos seguramente la vía del consenso para así edificar la paz y la seguridad.

Paz y seguridad que busco el primer ministro de Israel Yitzahk Rabin a quien le rendimos nuestro homenaje de admiración y respeto adhiriéndonos a la propuesta de la delegación argentina de tributarle un minuto de silencio. Muchas gracias.

CONFERENCIA REGIONAL SOBRE MEDIDAS DE FOMENTO
DE LA CONFIANZA Y DE LA SEGURIDAD
8 al 10 de noviembre de 1995
Santiago, Chile
OEA/Ser.K/XXIX.2
COSEGRE/INF.5/95
9 noviembre 1995
Original: español

SANTIAGO DE CHILE 8, 9 Y 10 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1995

Señores Viceministros, Embajadores Representantes Permanentes ante la Organización de los Estados Americanos, Señores Oficiales, Distinguidas Delegaciones:

Deseo expresar mis más sentidas felicitaciones al Sr. Embajador Pablo Cabrera por su elección como Presidente de esta Conferencia, su experiencia y capacidad son garantía del éxito del evento. Asimismo deseo expresar mis agradecimientos por haberme elegido como Vice-presidente de la Conferencia, honor que interpreto como un reconocimiento al pueblo salvadoreño en su lucha por consolidar la paz, la libertad, la democracia y el desarrollo.

En nombre de nuestra delegación deseo expresar mis más sinceros agradecimientos al Gobierno de la República de Chile por la grata acogida que hemos sido objeto desde nuestra estadía en este hermano país, así como expresarles mis felicitaciones por la excelente organización de tan importante evento regional.

Las fraternales y cordiales relaciones de cooperación entre Chile y El Salvador se remontan al siglo pasado, en la actualidad, Chile está brindando importante cooperación técnica en los campos de la seguridad pública y defensa, que son un ejemplo de la aplicación de medidas de fomento de la confianza. Aprovecho la oportunidad para agradecer la referida cooperación.

Señor Presidente, es nuestro deseo dejar constancia de la importancia que nuestro país le asigna a este evento qu