AG/RES. 2117 (XXXV-O/05) Follow-Up To The Special Conference On Security

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 7, 2005)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

Having seen the Annual Report of the Permanent Council to the General Assembly, in particular the section on the matters entrusted to the Committee on Hemispheric Security (AG/doc.4376/05 add. 5);

RECALLING:

That the Second Summit of the Americas (Santiago, 1998) instructed the Organization of American States, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security to "[f]ollow up on and expand topics relating to confidence and security building measures; [a]nalyze the meaning, scope, and implications of international security concepts in the Hemisphere, with a view to developing the most appropriate common approaches by which to manage their various aspects, including disarmament and arms control; and [p]inpoint ways to revitalize and strengthen the institutions of the Inter-American System related to the various aspects of Hemispheric Security," culminating in a Special Conference on Security, to be held within the framework of the OAS;

That the Third Summit of the Americas (Quebec City, 2001) asked the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security to review all issues related to common approaches to international security in the Hemisphere, with a view to holding the Special Conference on Security;

The mandates and decisions related to the Special Conference on Security, including those of the General Assembly set out in its resolutions AG/RES. 1566 (XXVIII-O/98), "Confidence- and Security-Building in the Americas"; AG/RES. 1643 (XXIX-O/99), "Work Program of the Committee on Hemispheric Security in Preparation for the Special Conference on Security"; AG/RES. 1795 (XXXI-O/01), "Preparations for the Summit-Mandated Special Conference on Security"; AG/RES. 1908 (XXXII-O/02), "Special Conference on Security"; AG/RES. 1940 (XXXIII-O/03), "Special Conference on Security"; and AG/RES. 1998 (XXXIV-O/04), "Follow-up to the Special Conference on Security"; and in its declaration AG/DEC. 27 (XXXII-O/02), "Declaration of Bridgetown: The Multidimensional Approach to Hemispheric Security"; as well as those of the Twenty-third Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, set out in resolution RC.23/RES.1/01 rev. 1 corr. 1, "Strengthening of Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism";

That, at the Special Summit of the Americas, held in Monterrey, Mexico, in January 2004, the Heads of State and Government reiterated their commitment to the objectives and purposes contained in the Declaration on Security in the Americas, emanating from the Special Conference on Security; and

That the commitments adopted by the Heads of State and Government through the Summits of the Americas process provide a framework for the promotion of cooperation in matters pertaining to hemispheric security;

RECALLING ALSO that "[o]ur new concept of security in the Hemisphere is multidimensional in scope, includes traditional and new threats, concerns, and other challenges to the security of the states of the Hemisphere, incorporates the priorities of each state, contributes to the consolidation of peace, integral development, and social justice, and is based on democratic values, respect for and promotion and defense of human rights, solidarity, cooperation, and respect for national sovereignty";

RECOGNIZING the shared values and common approaches identified in the Declaration on Security in the Americas;

REAFFIRMING the commitment to revitalize and strengthen the organs, institutions, and mechanisms of the inter-American system related to the various aspects of hemispheric security to achieve greater coordination and cooperation among them, within their areas of competence, in order to improve the ability of the states of the Americas to meet the traditional threats, as well as the new threats, concerns, and other challenges to hemispheric security; and

EXPRESSING ITS SATISFACTION at the adoption of the Declaration of Quito, arising from the Sixth Conference of Ministers of Defense of the Americas, held in Quito, Ecuador, from November 16 to 21, 2004, as a contribution to information-sharing, mutual confidence, dialogue, and transparency with respect to defense matters in the Hemisphere,

RESOLVES:

1. To urge all member states to continue implementing the Declaration on Security in the Americas, with a view to consolidating peace, stability, and security in the Hemisphere.

2. To request the Permanent Council to continue, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security:

a. Coordinating cooperation among the organs, agencies, entities, and mechanisms of the Organization of American States related to the various aspects of security and defense in the Hemisphere, respecting the mandates and areas of competence of each, in order to achieve the application, evaluation, and follow-up of the Declaration;

b. Maintaining the necessary liaison with other institutions and mechanisms, whether subregional, regional, or international, related to the various aspects of security and defense in the Hemisphere, respecting the mandates and areas of competence of each, in order to achieve the application, evaluation, and follow-up of the Declaration;

c. Requesting, with the periodicity deemed appropriate, reports on measures and action related to implementation of the Declaration from the following inter-American and international bodies:

i. OAS organs, agencies, entities, and mechanisms related to the various aspects of security and defense in the Hemisphere; and

ii. Other subregional, regional, and international institutions and mechanisms related to the various aspects of security and defense in the Hemisphere;

d. Conducting an ongoing assessment of the progress achieved in the implementation of the Declaration at the national, subregional, regional, and international levels, taking into account the particular circumstances of each subregion and state, with the participation of the organs, agencies, entities, and mechanisms of the OAS, relevant international and subregional organizations, and, when appropriate, civil society, to be reflected in the annual report of the Permanent Council to the General Assembly;

e. Preparing, in coordination with the relevant organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS, including among others the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), and the Consultative Committee of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), coordinated strategies and integrated action plans related to the new threats, concerns, and other challenges to hemispheric security, in accordance with the Declaration on Security in the Americas;

f. Considering in its work plans and, when appropriate, in developing coordinated strategies and integrated action plans, the recommendations formulated by specialized meetings and conferences of the inter-American system related to the subject of security in the Hemisphere; and

g. Considering in its work related to the new threats, concerns, and other challenges to hemispheric security, the contributions and cooperation of civil society in this area, where appropriate.

3. To request that the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, convene a meeting in 2006 to review the implementation of the Declaration on Security in the Americas by member states and to assess progress achieved to date by the Committee with respect to the follow-up to the Special Conference on Security, in accordance with the mandate contained in paragraph 2 above.

4. To take note of the establishment of the Department of Multidimensional Security as part of the efforts to strengthen the General Secretariat’s capacity to better serve the Organization’s member states and political bodies in the area of hemispheric security.

5. To take note of the analysis and discussions on the juridical and institutional link between the OAS and the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), especially in connection with the nature, purpose, and functions of the IADB, as reflected in the report of the Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-721/05); and to request the Permanent Council to conclude, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, the analysis and its discussions on the topic, and to prepare and approve, by no later than December 31, 2005, ad referendum of the General Assembly, a statute for the IADB to replace its current regulations and amend its basic structure and its relationship with the OAS. The Permanent Council shall convene a special session of the General Assembly within six months after this work is concluded.

6. To reiterate its request to the General Secretariat to prepare a report on how member states can support efforts, agreements, and mechanisms to prevent conflicts and bring about the peaceful settlement of disputes.

7. To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources.

8. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the President of the Association of South-East Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF), and to other relevant regional organizations.

9. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth regular session on the implementation of this resolution and to present any recommendations it deems appropriate.