THIRTY-FIFTH REGULAR SESSION OEA/Ser.P
June 5-7, 2005 AG/doc.4376/05
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 1 June 2005
United States of America Original: Spanish
Item 6 on the agenda
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
This document will be presented to the General Assembly
at its thirty-fifth regular session.
iv
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Permanent Council presents its Annual Report of activities (June 2004-May 2005), in keeping with Article 40 of its Statutes, for consideration by the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly.
Those who served as chairs of the Permanent Council during the period covered by this report hope that the content of the various chapters of this report adequately reflect the importance of the work carried out by the delegations on topics and matters of interest to the member states.
The Annual Report of the Permanent Council to the Thirty-fifth Regular Session of the General Assembly is presented in four (4) Chapters and with six (6) Addenda.
Chapter I includes a brief mention of the Council’s legal basis and functions. It names the chairs and vice chairs of the Council and the officers of the permanent committees and working groups.
Chapter II lists the Permanent Council meetings under the following headings: protocolary meetings, regular meetings, and special meetings, with a brief outline of the last two types of meetings. It should be pointed out that the statements made by delegations during the meetings appear in the minutes of the respective meetings.
Chapter III describes the activities of the Preparatory Committee of the General Assembly and identifies its officers.
Chapter IV includes a list of declarations and resolutions adopted by the Permanent Council.
The resolutions adopted by the Permanent Council during the period from June 2004 to May 2005 are included in Addendum I to this report.
Addendum II to this report includes the draft resolutions presented by the Permanent Council to the General Assembly for consideration at its thirty-fifth regular session.
The report presented to the Permanent Council on activities of the General Committee is published as Addendum III.
The report presented to the Permanent Council on activities of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs is published as Addendum IV.
The report presented to the Permanent Council on activities of the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs is published as Addendum V.
The report presented to the Permanent Council on activities of the Committee on Hemispheric Security is published as Addendum VI.
The report on activities of the Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities is published as Addendum VII.
May 31, 2005
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CONTENTS
Page
EXPLANATORY NOTE iii
CHAPTER I 1
1. Chairs and vice chairs of the Permanent Council 1
2. Competence of the Permanent Council 1
3. Permanent committees and working groups 3
3.1. Permanent committees 3
3.2. Working groups of the Permanent Council 3
3.3. Working group of the General Committee 4
3.4. Working groups of the CAJP 4
3.5. Working Group of the CSH 4
3.6. Secretariat of the Permanent Council 5
4. Other committees 6
CHAPTER II 7
MEETINGS OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL 7
A. PROTOCOLARY MEETINGS 7
B. MEETINGS OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL 7
1. Special meeting held on June 21 and 22 and July 28, 2004
CP/ACTA 1427/04 7
2. Special meeting held on June 21, 2004 CP/ACTA 1428/04 9
3. Regular meeting held on June 23, 2004 CP/ACTA 1429/04 10
4. Special meeting of June 30, 2004 CP/ACTA 1430/04 11
5. Closed meeting of July 2, 2004 CP/ACTA 1431/04 12
6. Special meeting of July 22, 2004 CP/ACTA 1432/04 13
7. Regular meeting held on July 22, 2004 CP/ACTA 1433/04 14
8. Regular meeting of August 5, 2004 CP/ACTA 1435/04 17
9. Special meeting of August 25 and 26, 2004 CP/ACTA 1436/04 19
10. Regular meeting of August 30, 2004 CP/ACTA 1437/04 20
11. Regular meeting of September 7, 2004 CP/ACTA 1438/04 22
12. Special meeting of September 23, 2004 CP/ACTA 1440/04 24
13. Regular meeting of September 24, 2004 CP/ACTA 1443/04 25
14. Special meeting of September 29, 2004 CP/ACTA.1445/04 26
15. Regular meeting of September 29, 2004 CP/ACTA 1446/04 27
16. Special meeting of October 6, 2004 CP/ACTA 1447/04 28
17. Regular meeting held on October 6, 2004 CP/ACTA 1448/04 29
18. Joint Meeting of the Permanent Council and the Permanent
Executive Committee of the Inter.-American Council for
Integral Development (CEPCIDI) held on October 7, 2004
CP/ACTA 1449/04 30
19. Special meeting held on October 8, 2004 CP/ACTA 1450/04 32
20. Special meeting held on October 17, 2004 CP/ACTA 1452/04 33
21. Regular meeting of October 22, 2004 CP/ACTA 1453/04 34
22. Closed special meeting of October 22, 2004 CP/ACTA 1454/04 36
23. Regular meeting of November 4, 2004 CP/ACTA 1455/04 37
24. Regular meeting of November 17, 2004 CP/ACTA 1456/04 41
25. Regular meeting of December 8, 2004 CP/ACTA 1457/04 44
26. Special meeting of December 10, 2004 CP/ACTA 1458/04 46
27. Regular meeting of December 15, 2004 CP/ACTA 1459/04 47
28. Regular meeting of January 11, 2005 CP/ACTA 1460/05 49
29. Special meeting of January 12, 2005 CP/ACTA 1461/05 52
30. Regular meeting of January 26, 2005 CP/ACTA 1462/05 53
31. Special meeting of January 27, 2005 CP/ACTA 1463/05 55
32. Special meeting of February 1, 2005 CP/ACTA 1464/05 55
33. Regular meeting of February 2, 2005 CP/ACTA 1465/05 56
34. Special meeting of February 23, 2005 CP/ACTA 1466/05 59
35. Regular meeting of February 23, 2005 CP/ACTA 1467/05 59
36. Regular meeting of March 16, 2005 CP/ACTA 1468/05 61
37. Regular meeting held on March 30, 2005 CP/ACTA 1469/05 64
38. Special meeting of April 4, 2005 CP/ACTA 1470/05 68
39. Regular meeting of April 6, 2005 CP/ACTA 1471/05 69
40. Regular meeting of April 7, 2005 CP/ACTA 1472/05 71
41. Joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Permanent
Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral
Development held on April 8, 2005 CP/ACTA 1473/05 71
42. Regular meeting of April 13, 2005 CP/ACTA 1474/05 72
43. Joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Permanent Executive
Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development
held on April 13, 2005 CP/ACTA 1476/05 73
44. Regular meeting of April 20, 2005 CP/ACTA 1477/05 74
45. Special meeting of April 21 and 22, 2005 CP/ACTA 1478/05 75
46. Regular meeting of April 27, 2005 CP/ACTA 1479/05 76
47. Regular meeting of May 4, 2005 CP/ACTA 1481/05 79
48. Regular meeting of May 11. 2005 CP/ACTA 1482/05 81
49. Joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Permanent Executive
Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development
(CEPCIDI) of May 16, 2005 CP/ACTA 1483/05 86
50. Regular meeting of May 20, 2005 CP/ACTA 1484/05 86
51. Regular meeting of May 24, 2005 CP/ACTA 1485/05 89
52. Regular meeting of May 25, 2005 CP/ACTA 1486/05 91
53. Special meeting of May 26, 2005 CP/ACTA 1487/05 93
54. Regular meeting of May 26, 2005 CP/ACTA 1488/05 93
55. Joint meeting of the Permanent Council and the Permanent Executive
Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI) May 27, 2005 CP/ACTA 1489/05 95
56. Regular meeting of May 27, 2005 CP/ACTA 1490/05 96
57. Regular meeting of May 31, 2005 CP/ACTA 1491/05 98
NUMBER OF MEETINGS HELD BY THE PERMANENT COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS 100
CHAPTER III 101
PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 101
NUMBER OF MEETINGS HELD BY THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE 102
CHAPTER IV 103
LIST OF DECLARATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE PERMANENT COUNCIL 103
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CHAPTER I
1. Chairs and vice chairs of the Permanent Council
The Permanent Council of the Organization is composed of one representative of each member state, especially appointed by the respective government, with the rank of ambassador. Each government may accredit an acting representative, as well as such alternates and advisers as it considers necessary.[1]/
The office of chair is held by each of the representatives, in turn, following the alphabetic order in Spanish of the names of their respective countries. The office of vice chair is filled in the same way, following reverse alphabetic order.[2]/ These positions are held for a three-month term, which begins automatically on the first day of each quarter.
2004
Term / Chair / Vice chairJuly-September / Ambassador Carmen Marina Gutiérrez Salazar (Nicaragua) / Ambassador Lisa Shoman
(Belize)
October-December / Ambassador Aristides Royo
(Panama) / Ambassador Michael I. King
(Barbados)
2005
Term / Chair / Vice chairJanuary - March / Ambassador Manuel María Cáceres
(Paraguay) / Ambassador Joshua Sears
(The Bahamas)
April - June / Ambassador Alberto Alfonso Borea
(Peru) / Ambassador Adolfo Hugo Gil
(Argentina)
2. Competence of the Permanent Council
Within the limits of the Charter and of inter-American treaties and agreements, the Permanent Council takes cognizance of any matter referred to it by the General Assembly or the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.[3]/
It serves provisionally as the organ of consultation in conformity with the provisions of the special treaty on the subject.[4]/
It keeps vigilance over the maintenance of friendly relations among the member states, and for that purpose effectively assists them in the peaceful settlement of their disputes, in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.[5]/
It is the function of the Permanent Council to:[6]/
a. Carry out those decisions of the General Assembly or of the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs the implementation of which has not been assigned to any other body;
b. Watch over the observance of the standards governing the operation of the General Secretariat and, when the General Assembly is not in session, adopt provisions of a regulatory nature that enable the General Secretariat to carry out its administrative functions;
c. Act as the Preparatory Committee of the General Assembly, in accordance with the terms of Article 60 of the Charter, unless the General Assembly should decide otherwise;
d. Prepare, at the request of the member states and with the cooperation of the appropriate organs of the Organization, draft agreements to promote and facilitate cooperation between the Organization of American States and the United Nations or between the Organization and other American agencies of recognized international standing. These draft agreements shall be submitted to the General Assembly for approval;
e. Submit recommendations to the General Assembly with regard to the functioning of the Organization and the coordination of its subsidiary organs, agencies, and committees;
f. Consider the reports of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, of the Inter-American Juridical Committee, of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, of the General Secretariat, of specialized agencies and conferences, and of other bodies and agencies, and present to the General Assembly any observations and recommendations it deems necessary; and
g. Perform the other functions assigned to it in the Charter.
3. Permanent committees and working groups
According to its Statutes and Rules of Procedure, the Permanent Council may establish such permanent and special committees and such working groups as it deems necessary. The special committees and working groups are temporary and they carry out temporary mandates that have not been assigned to other bodies.
3.1. Permanent committees
Committee /Chair
/Vice chair
/Membership
Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP) / Ambassador Alberto Alfonso Borea Odría, Peru / Ms. Delrose E. Montague, Jamaica / OpenCommittee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs (CAAP) / Ambassador Joshua Sears, The Bahamas / Ambassador Abigail Castro de Pérez, El Salvador / Open
Committee on Hemispheric Security (CSH) / Ambassador Carmen Marina Gutiérrez Salazar, Nicaragua / (1st) Ambassador María Tamayo, Bolivia
(2nd) Ambassador Denis G. Antoine, Grenada
(3rd) Mr. Giovanni Snidle, United States / Open
Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities (CISC) / Ambassador Rodolfo Hugo Gil, Argentina / Ambassador Paul D. Durand, Canada / Open
3.2. Working groups of the Permanent Council
Working Group
/Chair
/Vice chair
/Membership
Preparation of the Annual Report of the Permanent Council / Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the United StatesCommemoration of the Birth of the Liberator Simón Bolívar / Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela
3.3. Working group of the General Committee
Working Group / Chair / Vice Chair / MembershipWorking Group to Prepare for Meeting of National Authorities on Trafficking Persons / Ambassador Manuel Maria Caceres, Permanente Representative of Paraguay / Open
3.4. Working groups of the CAJP
Working Group / Chair / Vice Chair / MembershipTo Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples / Ambassador Juan León Alvarado, Alternate Representative of Guatemala[7]/ / Ms. Ana Peña, Alternate Representative of Peru[8]/ / Open
To Prepare an Inter-American Program for the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, Including Migrant Workers and Their Families / Dr. Eduardo Acevedo Díaz, Alternate Representative of Argentina / Mr. Otto Pérez,
Alternate Representative of Guatemala / Open
3.5. Working Group of the CSH
Working Group / Chair / Vice chair / Membership /To Conclude the Analysis of the Juridical and Institutional Link between the OAS and the Inter-American Defense Board / Ambassador Carmen Marina Gutiérrez Salazar, Nicaragua / Ambassador María Tamayo, Bolivia / Open
Working Group on the Inter-American Convention to Facilitate Disaster Assistance and, FONDEM and the IACNDR / Ambassador Denis G. Antoine, Permanent Representative of Grenada / Open
Ad Hoc Working Group to Prepare Recommendations on Natural Disaster Reduction to the Organization and its subsidiaries / Ambassador Gordon Valentine Shirley, Permanent Representative of Jamaica / Open
3.6. Secretariat of the Permanent Council
The Assistant Secretary General serves as secretary of the Permanent Council[9]/ and directs the Secretariat of the Permanent Council and the Office of Conferences and Meetings.
According to Executive Order 05-03, the principal functions of the Secretariat of the Permanent Council are as follows:
1. Advises the General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation, the Permanent Council, and their subsidiary bodies in the Member States, on parliamentary questions and matters of procedure, and coordinates the advisory services that those organs may require or request from other departments and offices of the General Secretariat;