Paraguay was chosen to host OAS general assembly next year

Friday, June 7th 2013 - 08:08 UTC

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Minister Fernandez Estigarribia: “acknowledgement to an organization that has always supported the Paraguayan people”

Paraguay will host the next Organization of American States, OAS, General Assembly scheduled for June 3 to 5 of 2014 in Asuncion. The decision by acclamation was taken on Thursday at the end of this year’s event in Guatemala.

“I’m sure that with the support from all of you and the OAS, the next assembly will be a great success for the integration or our peoples and for addressing issues of common interest for all of us”, said Paraguayan Foreign minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia on Thursday.

The Paraguayan minister on reading the declaration stating Asuncion as the host city, explained that the Paraguay offer is “a reaffirmation of the country’s commitment with the purposes and principles of the OAS charter”, and “evidence of its strong commitment to continue actively participating in the strengthening of the institution”.

Fernandez Estigarribia thanked in the name of his government and the Paraguayan people the unanimous decision saying that it is simply “the acknowledgement to an organization that has always supported the Paraguayan people”.

The last time Paraguay hosted a similar event was in 1990.

For Paraguay currently suspended from Mercosur and Unasur, hosting the OAS meeting in 2014 can de described as a ‘diplomatic success’, because it turns back the acrimonious confrontation with the two regional organizations and opens the way for a strong return.

Paraguay was suspended a year ago when the Senate overwhelmingly voted in a political impeachment to have Fernando Lugo removed (for incompetence) and replaced by Federico Franco.

Mercosur and Unsaur described the decision as a congressional coup and immediately suspended Paraguay, and voted the incorporation of Venezuela as full member of Mercosur, a decision that was pending for years and which run the risk of a veto from Paraguay.

The suspension was until new presidential elections were held which happened last April with the victory of Horacio Cartes. But Argentina and Brazil argue that the suspension stands until when the president-elect takes office scheduled for August.

However a similar move to have Paraguay suspended from OAS sponsored by Argentina and Bolivarian countries was thwarted by the US, Canada and other nations from the Caribbean.

Categories: Politics, Latin America, Paraguay.

Tags: Jose Fernandez Estigarribia, Organization of American States (OAS), Paraguay.

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reality check
The OAS meeting taking place in Asuncion has given it's support to the Argentine Malvinas claim. I know, I know, a little premature but thought I would save them the effort of issuing the same old tosh!
Jun 07th, 2013 - 08:24 am 0
manchesterlad
I hope Paraguay will remember all the times it has been stabbed in the back by Arg before it supports it's Malvinas cause!!!
Jun 07th, 2013 - 12:11 pm 0
Conqueror
@1 Did it include Paraguay? Ah well, blood is thicker than intelligence. It seems that, several hundred years ago, WE had to prove this to the Spanish and the French. Wasn't there an “incident” off Cape Trafalgar where the British Royal Navy decimated a Franco-Spanish “fleet”? Wasn't there an “incident” in Belgium where a British Army routed a French one? Earlier, weren't there “incidents” where a British Army drove the French out of Portugal, and then out of Spain? Then we had to prove it to the Germans. Twice. And there was some little place. Possibly the shortest “war” in history. But we let them off lightly. They were obviously numpties! I mean, just imagine putting a ship up against a British submarine. Or French jets against British ones.
Jun 07th, 2013 - 03:31 pm 0

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