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Statement
By The Hon. Fred Mitchell
Minister Of Foreign Affairs, The Bahamas
Special Conference On Security In The Americas, Mexico City, Mexico
October 28, 2003
Mr. Chairman,
Ministers and Heads of Delegations, Mr. Secretary General, distinguished
delegates.
Please
allow me to place on record my thanks to my CARICOM COLLEAGUES and the
distinguished Representatives to this Conference for the confidence
shown in electing me as Vice President of this conference.
I
pledge my support to you, Mister President, in the discharge of your
duties.
Firstly
I wish to join those who have spoken before me in extending appreciation
to you and the Government of Mexico for the exceptional hospitality
extended to me and my delegation since our arrival here and for the
excellent arrangements made for this important conference. I bring you
warmest greetings from Prime Minister Perry Christie and the people of
the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Secondly,
let me commend the Committee on Hemispheric Security and particularly
the working group who prepared for this special conference under the
leadership of Mexico’s Ambassador to the OAS,
Miguel Ruiz Cabañas, for its diligent work , the results
of which we have before us today.
MR.
CHAIRMAN
The
convening of this special Conference on Security, here in Mexico City,
fulfils an important mandate of the Quebec Summit and the adoption of
the Declaration on Security in the Americas.
The conclusion of our deliberations will be another important
milestone for the Inter American System.
MR.
CHAIRMAN
We
meet at a critical time when our hemisphere and indeed the global
community confronts many challenges. These challenges have tested us and
will continue to test our individual and collective resolves. They
compel us to engage in even greater levels of consultation and
cooperation. This will insure that we create and maintain an environment
of safety and security in which our member states and people can
continue along the path of orderly development and improve their
standards of living.
MR.
CHAIRMAN
The
attacks of 11th of September 2001 brought heightened
awareness of this
Hemisphere’s vulnerability
and of the need to
re-evaluate our approach. I believe this hemisphere has risen to the
challenge. Unprecedented steps were taken by all member states of the
hemisphere and we continue to examine ways of increasing the
effectiveness of our efforts. Indeed, in The Bahamas, a comprehensive
Terrorism Bill is presently before Parliament and when enacted into law
will provide The Bahamas with a modern and more effective mechanism in
our fight against this scourge. We therefore reaffirm our commitment to
joining the member states of this hemisphere, in further strengthening
all hemispheric and global efforts to combat and eliminate this scourge
but we also note the importance of paragraphs 22 and 23 of the draft
declaration. In both
paragraphs, there is a reaffirmation of the commitment to acting in the
fight “with full respect for the rule of law and international law.”
Mr.
Chairman, this proviso is important for us since it recognizes that as
we proceed to fight crime, we must not lose sight of the ultimate aim to
protect the civilization which we now enjoy and the freedoms and rights
of the individual that come with that civilization.
MR
CHAIRMAN
At
the 33rd regular session of the General Assembly of the OAS
at Bridgetown, this hemisphere adopted resolution 1886 which gave formal
recognition to the multi-dimensional scope and character of security.
The draft declaration before this special conference has addressed
security in all of these aspects. The ultimate achievement of peace
stability, political economic and social development and security in the
hemisphere depends upon how we as member states approach our tasks.
Traditional
and non-traditional threats to the security of the hemisphere must be
given equal weight. Indeed, from the point of view of small states,
non-traditional threats pose the greatest challenge to security,
economic and social development, and the rule of law. The illicit
trafficking of narcotic drugs, the traffic in illegal arms, mass
migration, threats to the environment, natural disaster HIV/AIDS, and
under-development are amongst the most important. The draft declaration
under the head: SHARED
VALUES AND COMMON APPROACHES, identifies in a very comprehensive way the
broad framework of principles. It also very clearly demonstrates their
integral nature to the whole issue of security.
Mr.
Chairman, the respect for the rule of law, respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, respect for national sovereignty, respect for the
democratic process and access to resources, which permit governments and
societies to fulfill their development goals, are indispensable to
maintaining order. We fully
accept the responsibility to assist in the achievement of hemispheric
security but this hemisphere must also be mindful of the costs of these new demands on small states.
Small
states like The Bahamas are best able to bear any costs if our economies
continue to be viable. In
this regard we take note of paragraph 30 of the draft text which speaks
to the issue of money laundering and seeking to eliminate the ability of
international criminals to use the international monetary system to
attack our civilizations. We
note in this regard the point of balancing competing societal interests
that we made earlier in our statement. In seeking to eliminate the use
of illegal money, we must not also eliminate the legitimate acts of
wealth creation that exist in offshore financial sectors such as those
in our country and in our sub-region.
MR.
CHAIRMAN
I
refer now and have referred particularly to paragraphs 8, 22, 25, 28, 29
and 30 of the draft declaration as they touch and concern matters of
special interest to The Bahamas and the Caribbean. The special security
concerns of small states require a focused attention on the commitment
of resources to give practical expression to these commitments.
In this regard, I note in paragraph 28 of the draft text,
reference to the production and use of firearms.
This is of particular concern to every CARICOM state including
The Bahamas. We believe
that a special responsibility is placed on producer states of firearms
to seek to limit their export to countries in CARICOM where these
weapons wreak havoc on our people with subsequent damage to our
economies.
MR.
CHAIRMAN
The
Declaration on security in the Americas is an important statement.
Its ultimate fulfillment will require a critical look at our
organization and institutions. In addressing INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, the
follow up to the Declaration will require careful attention not only
from the point of view of resources but also from the perspective of
management. Particular care must be exercised to avoid the creation of
additional structures and mechanisms which duplicate existing ones. We
salute all the institutions for their involvement in the collaboration
of this document. And trust that as we move forward all countries in the
hemisphere, without exception, will become in part of our Dialogue on
this important subject.
I wish again to commend the Committee on Hemisphere Security
for its work, the full and sustained implementation of which will
undoubtedly result in a safer and secure hemisphere.
Thank
you
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