Latin American and Caribbean Leaders Create a Zone of Peace and Unite Against Poverty and Inequality
The Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) successfully concluded on 29 January 2014 in Havana, Cuba. It was a landmark Summit for leaders of a region that includes Latin America and the Caribbean.
In their Declaration the leaders declared the CELAC region as a Zone of Peace. In their statements, they promoted CELAC integration as a key strategy for the future of the region. They also stressed the need to ensure the sovereignty of CELAC countries over their territories and natural resources; ensuring that their economies move away from raw materials exportation and achieve balanced distribution of incomes within countries and throughout the region.
The summit was preceded by a Senior Officials’ Meeting on January 25 and 26 and a foreign ministers’ meeting on January 27, as a result of which 30 documents were prepared for adoption by the leaders. These include the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace (see below), the creation of the China-CELAC forum, supports for the peace process in Colombia, the rejection of the unilateral economic embargo by the United States against Cuba and of the inclusion of Cuba in the so-called list of countries that sponsor terrorism, among others.
Below are 3 documents: (1) Closing remarks by the President of Cuba at the closing of the CELAC Summit; (2) Proclamation of the region as a Zone of Peace; (3) Interview with the South Centre Executive Director on the significance of the CELAC Summit, on teleSUR television station.
Closing Remarks of Cuban President
Below is an excerpt of the closing remarks of Army General Raul Castro Ruz, President of the Council of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, at the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Havana, 29 January 2014:
The celebration of the Second Summit of our Community marks the end of Cuba’s one year Pro Tempore Presidency, which we tried to carry out in a serious and responsible way.
We have received a valuable support from all of you and I would like to convey to you the deepest gratitude of the government and the entire Cuban people for your participation in these days of broad and profound discussions of our countries’ biggest concerns.
The documents adopted at this Second Summit have reaffirmed our commitment with the values that led to the foundation of CELAC and our strong belief that unity amid diversity as well as the Latin American and Caribbean integration are the only viable alternatives for the region.
We have reached important agreements on transcendental issues, such as the promotion of a “Zone of Peace” in the region and the rules and regulations required to ensure that the intraregional and extraregional cooperation bring about tangible benefits for this community.
CELAC has reiterated, among other aspects, the unrestricted respect for the Purposes and Principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations and International Law.
It has reaffirmed that, in order to eradicate poverty, it is indispensable to change the present world economic order, promote solidarity and cooperation and demand compliance with the development assistance commitments that have been entered into.
Emphasis has been made on the importance of the State’s permanent sovereignty over their natural resources. We intend to establish the best ways to exercise that right.
We likewise expressed our firm determination to work in order to cope with the challenges posed by the international situation and make every effort to promote equity and social inclusion, eradicate discrimination, inequalities, marginalization, human rights violations and the infringements of the Rule of Law.
Cuba will continue to work indefatigably within CELAC, and particularly as a member of the Quartet during the present year, to ensure the continuity of the process of consolidation of our Community.
Once again, thank you very much to all of you for your presence and your contribution to the works of CELAC in 2013 and at this Summit.
And now I have the honor to proceed to hand over the Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC to Her Excellency Mrs. Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica, to whom we wish every success in her endeavors.
Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace (Original signed by the Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States)
The Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) gathered in Havana, Cuba on January 28 and 29, 2014 at the Second Summit, on behalf of their peoples and faithfully interpreting their hopes and aspirations,
Declare:
1. Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace based on respect for the principles and rules of International Law, including the international instruments to which Member States are a party to, the Principles and Purposes of the United Nations Charter;
2. Our permanent commitment to solve disputes through peaceful means with the aim of uprooting forever threat or use of force in our region;
3. The commitment of the States of the region with their strict obligation not to intervene, directly or indirectly, in the internal affairs of any other State and observe the principles of national sovereignty, equal rights and self-determination of peoples;
4. The commitment of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean to foster cooperation and friendly relations among themselves and with other nations irrespective of differences in their political, economic, and social systems or development levels; to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors;
5. The commitment of the Latin American and Caribbean States to fully respect the inalienable right of every State to choose its political, economic, social, and cultural system, as an essential condition to ensure peaceful coexistence among nations;
6. The promotion in the region of a culture of peace based, inter alia, on the principles of the United Nations Declaration on a Culture of Peace;
7. The commitment of the States in the region to guide themselves by this Declaration in their international behavior;
8. The commitment of the States of the region to continue promoting nuclear disarmament as a priority objective and to contribute with general and complete disarmament, to foster the strengthening of confidence among nations.
Transcript of the interview of Martin Khor (South Centre Executive Director) with teleSUR on the CELAC Summit, 30 January 2014
Positive Evaluation of the 2nd CELAC Summit from the South Centre
From the Swiss headquarters of the South Centre, the Malaysian Intellectual Martin Khor, who is its Executive Director, valued highly the contributions of the second summit of CELAC to Latin American and Caribbean integration. The South Centre is an intergovernmental agency of developing countries with its headquarters in Geneva. Mr. Khor pointed out the meaning of Latin America and the Caribbean being proclaimed a zone free of nuclear weapons and a Zone of Peace, and hoped that the desire of the Declaration of Havana to resolve disputes among states without interference from extra-regional powers sets an exemplary precedent.
teleSUR: To discuss the advances and challenges of CELAC we talked with the Executive Director of the South Centre. Mr. Khor, to start, in your opinion, what is the importance of this new mechanism of integration in the context of international relations?
MK: I think that the Summit of CELAC is extremely important and we congratulate the region for this very important event that had the attendance of almost all heads of state. Surely, among the most important themes, there is peace and security of the region. In this regard, we wish to congratulate the region for declaring a zone of peace and free from nuclear weapons. Furthermore, it is important, and we consider this to be a great achievement, the fact that in case there is a problem in the region it will be solved in the region before becoming a conflict. If all this is implemented it will be a great contribution to world peace. Secondly, CELAC will be very important for the development of the region as countries will prosper more by trading among themselves. They will increase relations of investments and cooperation in education, medical assistance and many other areas of economic and social development not only for the region but for all the developing countries. We hope that the region will also reach out to other parts of the world such as Africa and Asia.
teleSUR: Mr. Khor, Cuba has been isolated from its Latin American and Caribbean neighbours for a good time as a result of pressure from the US but was elected to the pro tempore presidency of CELAC during 2013. What is the historical importance of this gesture towards Cuba?
MK: Well, Cuba is a very important country of the developing world. Cuba is an active Member of NAM and the G77, considered as a sister nation by all the nations of the developing world. The fact that CELAC was established with Cuba not only as a member but also accepted by the countries to lead the second phase after Chile (pro tempore of the first CELAC Summit) is something symbolic, with an important significance not only for Cuba but for all the region and all developing countries. We wish to congratulate Cuba and we believe Cuba has been responsible to advance CELAC.
teleSUR: Mr. Khor, Latin American and Caribbean countries are meeting to discuss its own issues and plan/draw the lines for its development without a call by or presence of the US. How do you judge this fact/event?
MK: The region comprises developing countries. They have all been colonized in the past at political or economic levels. This is why we share a common history and have some similar problems. This is why we also need to unite to fight poverty and underdevelopment in all the regions of developing countries. The fact that CELAC countries are getting united in a spirit of self-confidence and independence to combat together the problems that have historically affected us is an important element because I do not consider that CELAC is an anti-US organization, but a pro-Latin American and Caribbean organization established to deal with its own problems and that is consolidating through its integration and also, that is capable of thinking independently and of coordinating policies that will enable them to become strong partners. I think this is the historical role that CELAC can play: to boost integration and strengthen allowing the region to have better relations not only with the US, but also EU, Japan, and the developing countries. For Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean this Summit is certainly a great move ahead/leap forward and we all at the South Centre wish the region and its people all the success after this summit.
teleSUR: Good, this is the wish of all the countries. Many thanks Mr. Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre who shared with us his views on the 2nd CELAC Summit.
Watch this interview of Mr. Martin Khor (on the significance of the CELAC Summit) on the teleSUR TV station ( http://multimedia.telesurtv.net/web/telesur/#!es/video/valoracion-positiva-de-la-2a-cumbre-celac-hace-el-centro-del-sur , in Spanish only).
