US DEPARTMENT OF STATE VOLUME 6, SUPPLEMENT NUMBER 2, MAY 1995 PUBLISHED BY THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE: Summit of the Americas--Speeches in Miami; Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action 1. A New Era of Promise in the Americas--President Clinton 2. Summit of the Americas: Mission Accomplished--President Clinton 3. Charting a Course for the Americas--Secretary Christopher 4. Opportunities and Obligations of the Western Hemisphere--President Clinton 5. Summit of the Americas: Creating a Partnership for Prosperity-- President Clinton 6. The Promise of Freedom, Democracy, and Free Enterprise--President Clinton 7. Declaration of Principles 8. Plan of Action CONCAUSA Declaration and Action Plan 9. U.S., Central America Sign CONCAUSA Declaration --President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Costa Rican President Figueres, Guatemalan President De Leon Carpio 10. CONCAUSA Declaration and Action Plan Expanding the North American Free Trade Agreement 11. Chile Welcomed to NAFTA Partnership-- President Clinton, Canadian Prime Minister Chretien, Chilean President Frei, Mexican President Zedillo Fact Sheets 12. Summit of the Americas 13. The Organization of American States 14. The Inter-American Development Bank ARTICLE 1: A New Era of Promise in the Americas President Clinton Remarks at final plenary session of the Summit of the Americas, Miami, Florida, December 11, 1994 First, let me thank all those who have spoken before: I thank the Prime Minister and the Presidents, distinguished President of the Inter- American Development Bank, Secretary General of the Organization of American States. I thank especially President Aristide for his moving remarks. And I thank all of you present here who have supported the multinational effort to restore democracy to Haiti. We come here to begin a new era--an era of real promise. When Vice President Gore and I asked the American people to give us a chance to serve, we relied upon two phrases that we said over and over again: One was "put people first." The other was "don't stop thinking about tomorrow." In this meeting--for these days--we have put our people first, and we have thought about tomorrow. We are bound together by geography, by history, by culture, but most important, now by shared values--a ferocious devotion to freedom, democracy, social justice; a determination to improve the lives of all our people; a determination to preserve the natural world we have inherited and that we must pass on. We have tried to give life to these values at this summit by agreeing to create a free trade area throughout our hemisphere, to bring together our nations to improve the quality of life for our people, and to strengthen and make permanent the march of democracy. These achievements have been given concrete expression by our commitment to negotiate with specific steps of free trade agreement for a free trade area of the Americas by 2005. This is more than words; this is a commitment to deeds. Free trade in our hemisphere has been talked about for years, but because of this process we've launched this weekend it will now become a reality. Free trade will yield dramatic benefits in terms of growth and jobs and higher incomes. It will permit us to pursue economic opportunities, and at the same time, to reaffirm our commitment to promote the rights and interests of our workers so that all our people have the chance to benefit from free trade. I couldn't help thinking, when President Figueres was talking about the gross national product measuring everything but what is important to us, that that is true; but that unless we attend to the health of our economy, the things that are most important to us are more difficult to achieve. If you think about how many millions of people in this hemisphere, including in our country, are working harder today than they were just a few years ago for lower income; if you think about how many millions of people have less security in the face of the bewildering changes in the world we live in, what it means is they have less time for their families, for raising their children, less time for leisure, less time for citizenship, less time for learning in a calm and open atmosphere what the major issues of the day are. And there is not so much room in their spirit for the clear head and the generosity it takes to be an effective citizen in a strong democracy. So all these things we care about, that we want for our people, require us to do our best to make sure that they can be victors in this great cauldron of change that is bringing on the next century. We also vowed to do our best to make our governments work better; to protect our democracies by making sure we could do the job we're supposed to do well, and that we stop doing things we shouldn't be doing; to protecting human rights; to fighting illicit drugs and international crime; to rooting out corruption. And we agreed to pursue vigorously sustainable development. In a way, sustainable development is an unfortunate phrase because it has so little poetry about it. But the meaning is very profound. It means to me that we must pursue short-term goals, consistent with our enduring values. It means we must pursue individual opportunity, consistent with our responsibility to our larger communities. It means we must share in the Earth's bounty, without breaking our bonds with Mother Nature. It means we must take for ourselves in ways that leave more for our children. It means we must expand the circle of those who are able to live up to their God-given capacities--the women, the indigenous people, the minorities, the poor children of this hemisphere. For all these commitments, I thank you, all of you who have come here representing all these nations. The agenda we have embraced is ambitious and worthy. We have actually committed ourselves to 23 separate and specific initiatives and more than 100 action steps protecting the diversity of plant and animal species, phasing out lead in gasoline, reducing infant mortality, improving education and health care. Our goal is to create a whole new architecture for the relationship of the nations and the peoples of the Americas to ensure that dichos become hechos, that words are turned into deeds. So, as we come to the end of this historic Summit of the Americas, as we proclaim the dawn of this new partnership, as we say we have done this to put our people first and we have kept our eye on tomorrow, let us remember that the road ahead will be full of challenges and difficulties, and that beyond all of the specifics of what we have done, perhaps most enduring is the friendship, the spirit of trust that has been built here. There is truly a spirit of Miami. In future years when the difficulties mount up, when it is difficult to sustain the hope about which President Aristide spoke so beautifully, may future leaders remember the spirit of Miami. O espirito de Miami. L'esprit de Miami. El espiritu de Miami. The spirit of Miami. Thank you all, and God bless you. Now we will sign the Declaration--if they will bring it to us. [The Declaration is signed.] (###) ARTICLE 2: Summit of the Americas:Mission Accomplished President Clinton December 11, 1994 Opening remarks at a press conference, Miami, Florida, December 11, 1994. Ladies and gentlemen: This Summit of the Americas we just concluded represents a watershed in the history of our hemisphere. I want to begin by thanking again the people of Miami and the people of Florida for working so hard to make this a stunning success, and for treating these deliberations with such great respect. I would say a special word of appreciation to the people who demonstrated in the Orange Bowl in such large numbers in a way that spoke up for their deepest convictions for freedom and democracy for Cuba and in a way that was supportive of the other deliberations of this summit. From my point of view, the mission of this summit was accomplished, first, in our specific commitment to a free trade agreement of the Americas by 2005, which, along with NAFTA, with Chile's coming into the NAFTA partnership, and with the recent success of the GATT world trade agreement, puts us on the right road. For the Americans here in the audience, I would just like to ask you to consider that just in the last two weeks the United States has concluded agreements to push for regional free trade in the two fastest growing areas in the world-- first, at Bogor in Indonesia with the Asian Pacific economies, and now here with the free trade agreement at the Summit of the Americas. These things--along with the implementation of GATT and the expansion of the NAFTA arrangement--will set the agenda for world trade for years to come, in ways that benefit ordinary American families and that generate more high-wage jobs in this country and more opportunities in the countries of our trading partners. Secondly, we reaffirmed our commitment to continuing to work together to strengthen our democracies and to promote sustainable development--to promote education and health care, labor standards, and the environment, and to fight drugs and international crime and corruption--in other words, to push not only for economic growth but for improvements in the quality of life. This spirit of Miami was embodied in 23 very specific declarations and a specific work program that will begin immediately. That makes it quite a bit different from most summit declarations of the past. Finally, and perhaps equally as important, we saw here in the interlocking networks of people that began to meet and work together both in preparation for this summit and here--not just the world leaders, but others who were here in huge numbers from these various countries--the beginning of the kind of working relationship that will be absolutely essential to bring this hemisphere together in an atmosphere of trust and a true spirit of partnership. So from my point of view, this has been a very successful summit, indeed. I am pleased. I am deeply indebted to the leaders of the other countries as well as to the people who did all the work to make it a success on our side. December 10, 1994 Remarks following the first working session of the summit, Miami, Florida, December 10, 1994. Good morning. We have just completed the first working session of our summit on trade and economic integration. We are off to an excellent start. The 34 democratically elected leaders of our hemisphere have agreed to establish a free trade area of the Americas. This historic step will produce real opportunities for more jobs and solid, lasting prosperity for our people. The agreement is specific and concrete. We have set the year 2005 as our deadline for negotiating a free trade area, and we have agreed that there will be real progress before the end of the century. The agreement will cover a comprehensive list of areas--from tariffs on goods and services to agricultural and intellectual property. We have set a highly detailed timetable that will include regular meetings of our ministers for trade. Talks will begin next month. In less than a decade--if current trends continue--this hemisphere will be the world's largest market--more than 850 million consumers buying $13 trillion worth of goods and services. When our work is done, the free trade area of the Americas will stretch from Alaska to Argentina. It is the key building block in our creation of a partnership for prosperity. It will build upon the many bilateral and multilateral agreements already existing between our nations. We want to replace the many conflicting and different trade and other regulatory agreements with one that is consistent, while making sure to assist smaller economies in transition. We will ask the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Development Bank to assist in this transition and integration. And we have pledged that our free trade area of the Americas will not raise new barriers to nations outside our region, and will be fully consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization. We have reaffirmed our commitment to make our individual trade and environmental policies mutually supportive, and to further secure the observance and promotion of workers' rights. Let me emphasize that none of us underestimates the hard work ahead. But from the leaders of our hemisphere's largest economies to the smallest, we believe the rewards will be great and very much worth the effort. We believe the agreement we have made today to launch the free trade area of the Americas will produce more jobs, higher incomes, and greater opportunities for all of our people. From here we're going to a working lunch, where we'll discuss issues affecting sustainable development. Our final session this afternoon will focus on the steps we will take to strengthen our democracies. I can think of no more appropriate way to end this day--the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Thank you very much. (###) ARTICLE 3: Charting a Course for the Americas Secretary Christopher Breakfast Remarks Remarks at Cabinet breakfast with business and non-governmental organization representatives, Miami, Florida, December 10, 1994. I am delighted to be here this morning and share this podium with my colleagues and friends, Ron Brown and Mack McLarty. From my standpoint, it is a special treat to be having breakfast in the United States. If my body could figure out what time zone I am in, the pleasure would be complete. This is an important meeting. It is the first gathering of all the democratically elected leaders in the Western Hemisphere. Think of it: 34 heads of state and government representing almost 800 million Americans are working together to chart a course for our shared future. At the last hemispheric summit in Punta Del Este in 1967, only 12 out of the 19 countries in attendance had governments that were elected by their people. Even 10 years ago, many Latin American nations were still stagnating under military rule, their economies caught in the grip of closed markets, choking debts, and hyperinflation. Since then, a tide of political and economic reform has transformed the hemisphere. As a result, relations between the United States and our Latin and Caribbean neighbors have never been closer, stronger, or more productive. The Summit of the Americas is unprecedented in its scope--the leaders will adopt a far-reaching Declaration of Principles that will call for a free trade area, promote economic development, strengthen our democracies, and improve the quality of life in our hemisphere. We will come out of Miami with a detailed 23-point Action Plan, and we will create comprehensive follow-up mechanisms. Let me take our limited time together to mention four significant initiatives from the Action Plan that will make a real difference for trade and investment in our hemisphere--and a real difference in the daily lives of ordinary citizens. First, the Clinton Administration is determined to build on the North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen cooperation through the hemisphere. After one year, NAFTA has not only generated jobs and exports for the United States, Mexico, and Canada; it has pointed the way toward expanding the frontiers of economic integration across the Americas. The trade initiative we are launching this weekend includes a detailed plan for achieving a free trade area throughout the Americas--and to do so by a specific date. Our goal is to eliminate barriers to trade and investment by applying to the rest of the hemisphere the same provisions that have made NAFTA such a success. The agreement of our 34 leaders to the idea of hemispheric free trade is itself a signal achievement. But the true test of our commitment to this agreement will be in its implementation. To ensure that we sustain the momentum generated this weekend in Miami, we will use ministerial meetings in mid-1995 and 1996 to review and accelerate our progress. Our trade initiative for the hemisphere reflects our view that economic security is vital to our national security. There is no higher priority at the State Department than sitting behind what I call the "America Desk," which is my shorthand for the job of promoting American economic interests. In this regard, I would like to recognize the invaluable contribution that the private sector has made to the success of this summit. In particular, I want to commend the many of you in this audience who helped prepare the Agenda for the Americas. As we have seen this year in Casablanca, in Jakarta, and now in Miami, our efforts to promote stability and prosperity ultimately depend on their relevance to the private sector. Without your support, our goals would remain out of reach. The second initiative that I want to highlight affects both the health of our economies and the fabric of our societies. The United States recognizes that commercial corruption is a global problem. Its spread does more than feed the greed of crooked officials. It robs economies of the capital they need to raise productivity and expand growth. The Clinton Administration has energized the fight against the bribery of foreign officials around the world. In response to an initiative that I launched last October, the member nations of the OECD committed themselves to take "concrete and meaningful" steps to stop illicit payments by their firms. Now, here in Miami, we are calling for close cooperation between the OAS and the OECD anti-bribery working group that our nation helped to create. We will vigorously support Venezuela's initiative to negotiate a "hemispheric approach" to corruption, including extradition agreements and arrangements. We are determined to maintain pressure on our trade competitors and partners around the world to work with us to root out this ugly problem. I call on all of us to leave this summit with a determination to stamp out commercial corruption. The third initiative I want to emphasize this morning concerns our effort to stop the flow of illegal drugs across international boundaries. Here in Miami, the nations of this hemisphere are pledging to intensify their fight against drug traffickers. We intend to build on the long history of regional cooperation against narcotics by offering our summit partners assistance in adopting and implementing measures that strike narco-traffickers where it hurts the most: their bank accounts. Through sharing our experience in drafting laws and regulations, training investigators, and developing regional data bases, our goal is to forge a coordinated hemispheric response to money laundering. The fourth initiative that I would like to mention strengthens our fight against the terrorists who have turned streets in New York and Buenos Aires into canyons of broken glass and twisted steel. At the summit we will resolve that there will be no refuge in the Americas for those who kill to advance their cause. Our Action Plan calls for the OAS to convene a special conference on terrorism. For its part, the United States will double its anti-terrorism assistance to $6 million this year. This money will be used to improve anti-terrorist training for police forces in this hemisphere. And we will expand the role of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to assist governments--at their request--in the investigations of terrorist acts. These four initiatives will make a significant contribution toward safeguarding our hemisphere's hard-won democracy. At the summit we will also be discussing how to strengthen the foundations of civil society-- the non-governmental organizations and community groups that have done so much to broaden democratic participation in all our countries. Other Action Plan initiatives call for sound environmental management. We must also bolster the institutions that promote and defend our fundamental human rights. I note that this summit celebrating democracy's triumph fittingly coincides with our commemoration of Human Rights Day. The challenges that confront this hemisphere are as diverse in their scope as this audience drawn from the worlds of private enterprise, public service, non-governmental organizations, and the universities. But one common vision unites us all: that of a hemisphere of democracies, dedicated to working together for prosperity and development. This weekend in Miami, we are bringing that vision to life. Thank you very much. Luncheon Remarks Remarks at working luncheon with foreign ministers, Miami, Florida, December 10, 1994. Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be able to welcome my colleagues here today to the Summit of the Americas on behalf of President Clinton and the United States. This historic assembly is giving us the chance to focus the world's attention on this hemisphere's epic achievements. Our relations as neighbors have never been better than they are today. And the potential benefits of cooperation have never been greater. A new consensus of the Americas has formed around open societies and open markets. To build on that consensus, our nations will work together at the Summit of the Americas in a new spirit of partnership. With good reason, much of our attention at the summit will focus on accelerating the region's economic dynamism. Political stability and economic reform are creating jobs and opportunities for workers in all our nations. Expanded trade between the United States and its Latin American and Caribbean neighbors is spurring growth throughout the hemisphere. It is no surprise that President Clinton signed the GATT Agreement at the OAS, for it underscores our common interest in an open global trading system. That interest was reinforced by NAFTA, and by all the other regional groupings our nations have formed: by CARICOM, Mercosur, the Andean Group, and the Central American Common Market. This weekend, our leaders will undertake a landmark commitment to expand free trade in the hemisphere, north and south. At the same time, the summit reaffirms that our future depends as much on strengthening and safeguarding our hard-won democracies as it does on extending economic cooperation. Business people from Caracas to Chicago agree that the rule of law protects investment, just as free speech roots out corruption. We know from experience that open societies make better neighbors. Indeed, respect for human rights and democratic values has become a cardinal principle of the Americas. In all our nations--including mine--democracy means more than voting. It requires responsive legislative, judicial, and law enforcement institutions that protect our citizens and our freedom. It demands accountability and transparency at all levels and branches of government. It means the doors of opportunity must open wide for all our people. Every nation present today is taking steps on its own to strengthen and safeguard democracy and to intensify cooperation with its democratic neighbors. I am confident that we will reach agreement to take concrete action together to support democracy. On behalf of the United States, allow me to mention some of the steps that we as host of this summit are prepared to take: -- To bolster institutions that support democracy, the United States will contribute funds to the OAS to strengthen its capacity to foster political dialogue and legislative and electoral reform. With the election of Secretary-General Gaviria, I am confident that the OAS can play an even more constructive role. -- To combat corruption, we will back close cooperation between the OAS and the OECD anti-bribery working group that our nation helped to create. We will press for the OECD to implement its anti-bribery initiatives. And we will vigorously support Venezuela's initiative to negotiate a "hemispheric approach" to corruption, including extradition agreements and arrangements. -- To attack narcotics traffickers, we will offer experts and trainers to help countries adopt strong measures against money laundering. We will also help complete the Counternarcotics Strategy for the 21st Century called for in the Action Plan. -- To defeat terrorism, we will double our anti-terrorism assistance to $6 million this year, to improve anti-terrorist training for police forces in the hemisphere. We will expand the role of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to assist governments, at their request, in the investigation of terrorist acts. As foreign ministers, we have a special responsibility. It is our task to ensure that our initiatives are implemented. For our partnership to bring results, we must match brave words with bold deeds. We must turn consensus into tangible progress. I look forward to a very productive discussion this afternoon, and to a constructive process in the months ahead. ( ###) ARTICLE 4: Opportunities and Obligations Of the Western Hemisphere President Clinton Remarks welcoming leaders to Summit of the Americas reception, Miami, Florida, December 9, 1994 To our distinguished heads of state, Vice President and Mrs. Gore, members of the Congress and the Cabinet, Governor and Mrs. Chiles, Lt. Governor and Mrs. MacKay, Mayor Clark; to the distinguished leaders of the business community and non-governmental organizations that work so wonderfully together; to the co-chairs and others from the host committee who have done such a wonderful job of putting together this extraordinary event; and to all of our distinguished guests from other lands--let me say a hearty welcome to this remarkable summit. Let me begin by thanking the wonderful city of Miami for rising so magnificently to the challenge of hosting the Summit of the Americas. If we leaders can match the dedication of the citizens of Miami and South Florida to the work of this week, we will truly bring our people and our hemisphere closely together. The end of the Cold War has given all of us a great opportunity to build bridges where, for 50 years, only barriers stood. We in the United States have worked hard to seize this moment for peace and prosperity-- from the Middle East to Northern Ireland, to Southern Africa, to Haiti. Through our commitment to expanded trade through NAFTA and the GATT agreement, we are doing our best to demonstrate our willingness to reach out to the rest of the world to promote the peace and prosperity we all want. Here in our own hemisphere we are especially privileged--all of us--to live at a moment of great opportunity. With that opportunity comes a heavy obligation upon all of us who occupy positions of leadership in this hemisphere. It is in the spirit of that opportunity and that obligation that I proudly welcome the 33 democratically elected leaders of the Americas to the United States and to Miami. This week, we have come together to build a better world and a better future for our children. Students of the Americas will recognize this as an old dream. In the 1820s, at the dawn of freedom for the new Latin American republics, Simon Bolivar dreamed the Americas could be the greatest region on earth, and I quote, "not so much by virtue of her area and wealth, but by her freedom and her glory." Now, some 170 years later, Bolivar's dream for the Americas is becoming a reality. The people represented here are free, we are friends, and we are committed to creating the best century in our history. We can become true partners for prosperity, and we can begin this week. Our goals for the summit are clear: We want to extend free trade from Alaska to Argentina, we want to strengthen our democracies, and we want to improve the quality of life for all our people. It is clear that these goals are bound together. If we grow more prosperous through trade we will strengthen our democracies and our friendship. If we confront our common problems--the common threats to democracy--in a spirit of genuine partnership, we will increase our chances at prosperity. If together we can confront our common challenges in the environment, in health, and in education to provide for long-term, sustainable development, both our prosperity and our freedom will be secure. A partnership for prosperity, stronger democracies, improving the quality of life of our people--these are the opportunities that lie before us. So, my fellow citizens of the Americas, let us make the most of them. (###) ARTICLE 5: Summit of the Americas: Creating a Partnership for Prosperity President Clinton Remarks to members of summit community, host officials, and officials from Florida, Miami, Florida, December 9, 1994 Thank you very much, Mr. Vice President. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for that warm welcome. Hillary and I and the Vice President and Mrs. Gore are delighted to be here. We thank Governor Chiles and Mrs. Chiles, the Lt. Governor and Mrs. MacKay, the members of the Florida congressional delegation, Senator Graham, Senator Mack, and the distinguished members of Congress who have come from all over the United States to be here. I want to say a special word of thanks to Dante Fascell, the honorary co-chair of this summit and a great man. I thank the mayors of Miami Beach and Miami, all the people who are involved in the Metro Dade government, all the people who have worked so hard on this summit. When we first announced the plans to hold the Summit of the Americas here in Miami, it seemed that it was a natural choice. This city, after all, has been variously described as the hub, the melting pot, the gateway, the crossroads of the Americas. But in the end, we chose Miami because of the commitment of the people who live and work here to make this summit a success, led, as the Vice President said, by the Governor and the Lt. Governor. I will not dwell on all the subtle and not-so-subtle details of our many conversations about this. But, let me say that they persuaded me that this was the reverse of that wonderful line in the movie "Field of Dreams," where they said to us, "if you come, we will build it." You have, and I thank you. Your efforts have been extraordinary, and we are grateful for them. I have just been amazed at the energy that has come out of this community and this state over the last several months--the kind of energy that is supposed to be generatedonly by the Florida sun. You promised that the citizens of Miami would do it right, and it is clear that you have delivered. I think I can say for all of those who have come from around America to be here, we knew we would need to be warm in December, and now we are in more ways than one. We thank you very, very much. History has given the people of the Americas a dazzling opportunity to build a community of nations committed to the values of liberty and the promise of prosperity. Now, over the next three days, the 34 democratically elected leaders of our hemisphere will gather to begin to seize this opportunity. I convened this Summit of the Americas with three clear goals in mind: First, to open new markets and create a free trade area throughout our hemisphere; Second, to strengthen this remarkable movement to democracy; and Third, to bring together our nations to improve the quality of life for all of our people. If we are successful, the summit will lead to more jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for our children and for generations to come. We will have launched a new partnership for prosperity. Today, we gather in Miami to mark a quiet revolution and to launch a new era, for here in the Americas, as all of us know, nation after nation has freed itself from dictatorship and debt, and embraced democracy and development. When historians look back on our times, they will marvel at the speed with which democracy has swept across the entire Americas. Consider this: At the time of the last hemispheric summit in 1967, 10 countries suffered under authoritarian rule, and there were fewer here. But today, 34 of the hemisphere's leaders have won their post through ballots--not bullets. This weekend, we will welcome leaders like President Aristide of Haiti. We have all seen his commitment to reconciliation and the rule of law and how it is now moving his people from fear to freedom. I hope I can take a moment of pride to salute the brave American men and women in uniform and their partners from around the world who helped to restore that democracy and freedom to Haiti. We are very proud of them. Here at the Summit of the Americas, the people of the United States will meet a whole new generation of leaders--a generation no longer subject to the dictates of military juntas, who stifle liberties and loot their nation; a generation that has proved in Central America that bloody regional conflicts can be peacefully concluded through negotiation and reform and reconciliation; a generation which has pledged to support democracy collectively wherever it is imperiled in this hemisphere. That is a commitment no other region in the world has made. These leaders are here in Miami because they have tapped what Simon Bolivar, the liberator of Latin America, called "the most sacred spring"--"the will of the people." Today, just a day before the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we honor them--all of them. We must also honor the brave men and women who dedicated themselves to the cause of freedom and liberty, and who today lie all across this hemisphere in unmarked graves. This summit is also a tribute to their astonishing sacrifice, and it is their triumph as well. Only one nation in our hemisphere is not represented here. It is the only one where democracy is still denied. We support the Cuban people's desire for peaceful, democratic change, and we hope that the next time we have one of these summits--and the people of all the Western Hemisphere send their leaders here--a leader of a democratic Cuba will take its place at the table of nations. The wave of political freedom that has swept across the Americas has also been matched by unprecedented economic reform. In these times of very great stress, farsighted leaders in nation after nation have adopted sound policies to tame inflation, to restore economic growth. They have cut tariffs, stabilized currencies, and opened their economies to foreign investment. They have worked together to shrink mountains of debt. They have privatized; they have decentralized. Argentina has cut its central government by 60% in four years. Bolivia has given back to local communities more responsibility for health, education, and agriculture. Brazil has slashed its inflation rate. The so-called "lost decade" in Latin America is a fading memory. These reforms are working wonders. Investment is growing; the middle class is again on the rise. The Western Hemisphere now boasts the second fastest-growing economy in the world. If current trends continue, within just a decade, our hemisphere will be the largest market in the world--more than 850 million consumers buying $3 trillion worth of goods and services. These are remarkable, hopeful times. Here in the United States, we, too, have developed a comprehensive economic strategy to reap the rewards of this moment. We had a lot of work to do just to put our economic house in order. We have made deep cuts in our deficit and federal spending--in the size of the federal government. This year--for the first time since Harry Truman was President--we will have three years of reduction in our deficit in a row. We are already taking our federal government down to its smallest size since John Kennedy was President. We have made major steps toward deregulation in banking and trucking, and deregulating the states in the areas of welfare, health, and education. We have just begun to move in this direction. Our country has produced over five million new jobs during the past 22 months. We have the lowest unemployment rate in four years, and have been voted by the Annual Panel of International Economists as the world's most productive economy for the first time in nine years. But, the thing that gives me the most hope, after all the years--nearly two decades--in America of American families working longer work weeks for stagnant wages and more fragile benefits, is that this year more high- wage jobs have come into our economy than in the previous five years combined. We hope that we are seeing the beginning of the end of a 20- year trend in stagnant wages, and the beginning of the restoration of the American Dream by reaching out to the world and into our hearts. Still, we know that millions of Americans have not felt this economic recovery. Millions of Americans are still working harder for less and feeling very uncertain, even as they read all the good statistics in the newspaper. We have a lot of work to do. But, the truth is that the United States has never been in a stronger economic position to compete and win in the world. We are also taking bold steps to open new markets and to make the global economy work for our people. For 40 years, our markets have been more open than those of many other nations. We led the restoration of economic hope and opportunity after the Second World War. But, now that competition is everywhere and productivity is growing, and the lessons of management, technology, and investment are readily apparent to hard- working people all across the world, we cannot allow that to continue. We simply must be able to export more of our goods and services if we are going to create more high-wage jobs. Just a year ago yesterday, I signed into law NAFTA--the North American Free Trade Agreement. When Congress voted for NAFTA, that event committed the United States to continuing leadership and engagement in the post-Cold War world. It marked a new era in world trade relations for America, and it gave birth to this summit, which could not have occurred if that had not happened. During the first nine months of this year, our exports to Mexico jumped 22%. Increased exports to Mexico and Canada have helped us to create more than 100,000 new jobs in America in this year alone. Auto exports to Mexico are up 500%, and I might say, Mexican exports to the United States are also up. It has been a good deal for us and a good deal for them. There has been no "giant sucking sound," except for American goods going across the border. Last month in Indonesia, we agreed with 17 other Asia-Pacific nations-- including Mexico and Chile, two countries represented here--to achieve free trade in the Asia-Pacific region by the year 2020. The tariffs will begin to fall and give us new access to new markets in the fastest growing economies of the world long before then. Just yesterday, I signed into law the bill implementing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the largest agreement ever for free and fair trade. GATT, like NAFTA before it, passed because we had strong, bipartisan support in Congress. That is a pattern that must prevail as we continue to pursue open markets and prosperity in this hemisphere and around the world. I strongly urge all nations in our hemisphere who have not yet done so, to follow what America has done and implement this agreement now. It is an important thing for our future growth. Finally, let me emphasize that our economic strategy seeks to prepare our own people to fill the high-wage jobs of the future. For too many people, as I said earlier, these times are ones of great uncertainty. Pressures of the global economy have held wages down and increased job turnover for people who are not in a position to take advantage of the developments now occurring. We owe it to those Americans to provide the kind of lifetime education and training that will give them a chance to win in this economy as well. We must ensure that basic labor standards are preserved and promoted so that freer trade means better working conditions for all. After all, in America, our people, our workers, are the most important asset we have. That is true in every other nation as well. That is why democracy and free trade go hand in hand. More free trade is worthwhile only if its benefits actually change the lives of real people for the better. But, as I have said over the last two years, that does not mean that we can repeal the laws of change--repeal the sweeping changes taking place in the global economy. If we do nothing to reach out to other countries than to expand trade--if we had walked away from NAFTA, if we had walked away from GATT--if we do not reach out here and throughout the world, the United States will still continue to suffer the burdens of trade, or we cannot walk away. But, if we reach out, as we are, with NAFTA, with GATT, with the Summit of the Americas--if we act wisely, then we can make this new world work for us. Trade can be a benefit to our people. When we have the opportunity to sell American products and services around the world, we know we can compete and we know that means new jobs and a rising standard of living--the core of the American Dream. I will say again, we in the United States must not only create jobs, but raise incomes. We can only do that if we train people for higher wage jobs, and if we create those jobs. One of the ways we can create those jobs is to expand trade, especially in this hemisphere. So, that is why every American worker in every part of the United States should be glad we are all here today at the Summit of the Americas. Now, I hope I have established why that is my primary goal for this summit. We have a real opportunity here to build on the momentum of NAFTA and GATT. That is what this new partnership of prosperity is all about--creating a free trade area that stretches from Alaska to Argentina. Let no one underestimate the significance of this--from Alaska to Argentina. People have talked about free trade in this hemisphere for years. It has been talked about and talked about. The difference is, here in Miami we have a chance to act, and we are going to take it. Let me try to describe in graphic terms what this means. Latin America is already the fastest-growing region in the world for American exports. Of every dollar Latin Americans spend on exports, 44 cents buy goods made in the United States. Despite trade barriers that are, on average, four times higher than ours, Florida alone sold almost $9 billion worth of goods in the Americas last year alone. By the year 2005, if current trends continue, our country will sell more to Latin America than to Western Europe or Japan. That is why we are here. That is an investment worth making. Creating a free trade area would be good news throughout the Americas. Here in the United States, our exports to Latin America could literally double by the year 2005. That would create over 1 million new jobs. Exports also create good-paying jobs. On average, export-related jobs pay 17% more than average wages in America. They are the kinds of jobs that guarantee the families that we are concerned about a fair shot at the American Dream. That is why we must succeed here. But, trade is not the only goal of this meeting--there are two others. The second goal of our summit must be to preserve and strengthen our community of democracies. Continued economic prosperity clearly depends upon keeping the democracies alive and stronger. We can only do that if we address the dangers to democracy that face all nations. Many of the dangers we face--consider them--international crime, narcotics trafficking, terrorism, environmental degradation--these things can only be overcome if we act in harmony. So, in the days ahead, we will discuss ways to seize the assets of money launderers, to explore new ways like those developed in Chile to prevent corruption from corroding our democracies, and to move forward on all of these fronts. We must also keep our democracies healthy and open. Our hemisphere has come too far and the cost has been too great to return to the days of repression and dictatorship. So, at the summit we will discuss how the Organization of American States can help to reconcile political disputes and ensure that democratic constitutions actually live and breathe. Here in the United States, we know that democracy is hard work. We have been at it over 200 years, and we know we still have to defend it every day. We have to continually review how well our governments perform, and even whether they should be doing some things at all. Our own efforts to cut the size and cost and improve the performance of government, led by the Vice President and his reinventing government team, demonstrate the immense importance and the great rewards of this undertaking. We, too, have only just begun. The third goal of the summit is to bring our nations together to pursue sustainable development. That is far more than a buzzword. Our democracies and our prosperity will be short-lived if we do not figure out how to deal with the things that enable us to grow and come together and maintain our quality of life over the long run. Improving the basic health and education of our people is a key part of that sustainable development strategy. Consider our common efforts to eradicate polio--banished from our hemisphere since 1991. That shows you what cooperation can bring. So at this summit we will discuss ways that we can combat poverty and disease, increase health care, increase education, and remove threats from millions and millions of our fellow citizens. Our summit agenda also calls for important talks aimed at making our environmental and trade policies mutually supportive. Threats to our environment respect no border, and ultimately, can undermine our economies. We must discuss initiatives that will make progress. We are going to talk about things like banning lead from gasoline in every country, conserving nature's diversities, spreading innovative environmental technologies. We will be doing the kinds of things that will permit us to sustain the remarkable trends of the last few years. At the summit, in support of expanding trade and democracy and sustainable development, we will consider more than 20 initiatives to plot a course for the future. I am convinced that we will succeed as long as we recognize that the bonds that unite us are stronger than the forces that divide us. Once, the United States and its neighbors were clearly divided by seemingly unbridgeable cultural and economic gulfs. But today, superhighways, satellite dishes, and enlightened self-interest draw us together as never before. Our economies are increasingly interwoven. Latin American and Caribbean contributions to American culture--in great novels, fine foods, spirited music, free television networks, and in many other ways--grow every day. By the year 2020, the United States of America may well boast a Spanish- speaking population second in size only to that of Mexico. The connections between north and south in the Americas are, in short, a source of great energy. We have to strengthen these bonds. We must make them work for the benefit of all of our people. On this very day, 170 years ago, the foot soldiers of Bolivar's army won the Battle of Ayacucho, the last battle for liberation between the people of the New World and colonial Spain. With that triumph, Peru proclaimed its independence and a new era began in our hemisphere. It was an era that Bolivar hoped would produce greater unity among the Pan American states. Well, his dream was not realized in his lifetime, and generation after generation has struggled without success to make it real. In our own century, President Roosevelt's good neighbor policy, as Vice President Gore said, sought to unite the hemisphere by urging mutual respect among all and recognizing even then, long ago, the importance of our interdependence. Three decades later, President Kennedy's Alliance For Progress inspired the people of the Americas with its vision of social justice and economic growth. Today, we can build on those foundations and do what could not be done in former times. We can create a partnership for prosperity where freedom and trade and economic opportunity become the common property of the people of the Americas. Just imagine it: a hemisphere where disputes among or within nations are peacefully and honorably resolved; where cultures and nations are universally and mutually respected; where no person's rights are denied and labor is not abused; where ideas and trade flow freely across borders; where work is rewarded and families and communities are strong--just imagine it. My fellow Americans, this is a magic moment. Let us seize it. Thank you very much. (###) ARTICLE 6: The Promise of Freedom, Democracy, And Free Enterprise President Clinton Remarks to volunteers of the Summit of the Americas, Miami, Florida, December 8, 1994 (introductory remarks deleted) I hope that you can fully grasp the significance of what we are doing here. Every country in the world today--at the end of the Cold War and the emergence of an exploding global economy with all sorts of opportunities but profound problems--every country is fighting a battle within itself between hope and fear; between reaching out and drawing back; between believing in the best of its potential and giving in to the worst, or at least walking away from the challenge. This morning, the Vice President and I went to the auditorium of the magnificent headquarters of the Organization of American States, and I signed the legislation adopting the GATT world trade treaty. In the last two years, our Administration has relentlessly pursued an economic strategy designed to make sure Americans could compete and win and be rewarded for their work in the 21st century, not by withdrawing from the world and hunkering down, but by reaching out to the world and embracing it. We have reduced our deficit; we have increased our investment in education and training; we have focused on the needs of every region of our country. We worked hard here, for example, to try to help rebuild after the things that happened to Homestead and the rest of South Florida in the hurricane. But we know--we know no matter what else we do, unless we have people around the world who buy our products and services, people who will join with us in combatting the problems of the world--from environmental problems to terrorism to organized crime to the drug problems--unless we have people who will be our partners in democracy and freedom, we can never be what we fully ought to be. That is the significance of this summit. It builds on what happened with NAFTA; it builds on the GATT agreement; and it builds on our efforts to reach out to the world. This is the largest summit of world leaders ever hosted here--34 democratically elected leaders from this entire hemisphere joining hands together, not because we agree on everything, but because we agree on the important things and because we believe in the promise of freedom; we believe in the promise of democracy; we believe in the promise of open, free trade; and we believe in the human potential of the people of the United States and every other country represented here. So, we come here representing people from the tip of Alaska to the tip of Argentina to plan and to build and to dream for all of you and for your children because we believe in the promise of America. We are elated that others have embraced the challenge and the promise of freedom and democracy and free enterprise. I know you wish us well, and if this meeting turns out to have the profound historic significance that it should, I hope you will remember for the rest of your life how hard you worked on it and be justly proud. Thank you and God bless you all. (###) ARTICLE 7: Declaration of Principles Text of declaration signed on December 11, 1994, by the 34 heads of state and government participating in the Summit of the Americas, Miami, Florida, December 9-11. Partnership for Development and Prosperity: Democracy, Free Trade and Sustainable Development in the Americas The elected Heads of State and Government of the Americas are committed to advance the prosperity, democratic values and institutions, and security of our Hemisphere. For the first time in history, the Americas are a community of democratic societies. Although faced with differing development challenges, the Americas are united in pursuing prosperity through open markets, hemispheric integration, and sustainable development. We are determined to consolidate and advance closer bonds of cooperation and to transform our aspirations into concrete realities. We reiterate our firm adherence to the principles of international law and the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and in the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), including the principles of the sovereign equality of states, non- intervention, self-determination, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. We recognize the heterogeneity and diversity of our resources and cultures, just as we are convinced that we can advance our shared interests and values by building strong partnerships. To Preserve and Strengthen The Community of Democracies Of the Americas The Charter of the OAS establishes that representative democracy is indispensable for the stability, peace and development of the region. It is the sole political system which guarantees respect for human rights and the rule of law; it safeguards cultural diversity, pluralism, respect for the rights of minorities, and peace within and among nations. Democracy is based, among other fundamentals, on free and transparent elections and includes the right of all citizens to participate in government. Democracy and development reinforce one another. We reaffirm our commitment to preserve and strengthen our democratic systems for the benefit of all people of the Hemisphere. We will work through the appropriate bodies of the OAS to strengthen democratic institutions and promote and defend constitutional democratic rule, in accordance with the OAS Charter. We endorse OAS efforts to enhance peace and the democratic, social, and economic stability of the region. We recognize that our people earnestly seek greater responsiveness and efficiency from our respective governments. Democracy is strengthened by the modernization of the state, including reforms that streamline operations, reduce and simplify government rules and procedures, and make democratic institutions more transparent and accountable. Deeming it essential that justice should be accessible in an efficient and expeditious way to all sectors of society, we affirm that an independent judiciary is a critical element of an effective legal system and lasting democracy. Our ultimate goal is to better meet the needs of the population, especially the needs of women and the most vulnerable groups, including indigenous people, the disabled, children, the aged, and minorities. Effective democracy requires a comprehensive attack on corruption as a factor of social disintegration and distortion of the economic system that undermines the legitimacy of political institutions. Recognizing the pernicious effects of organized crime and illegal narcotics on our economies, ethical values, public health, and the social fabric, we will join the battle against the consumption, production, trafficking and distribution of illegal drugs, as well as against money laundering and the illicit trafficking in arms and chemical precursors. We will also cooperate to create viable alternative development strategies in those countries in which illicit crops are grown. Cooperation should be extended to international and national programs aimed at curbing the production, use and trafficking of illicit drugs and the rehabilitation of addicts. We condemn terrorism in all its forms, and we will, using all legal means, combat terrorist acts anywhere in the Americas with unity and vigor. Recognizing the important contribution of individuals and associations in effective democratic government and in the enhancement of cooperation among the people of the Hemisphere, we will facilitate fuller participation of our people in political, economic and social activity, in accordance with national legislation. To Promote Prosperity Through Economic Integration And Free Trade Our continued economic progress depends on sound economic policies, sustainable development, and dynamic private sectors. A key to prosperity is trade without barriers, without subsidies, without unfair practices, and with an increasing stream of productive investments. Eliminating impediments to market access for goods and services among our countries will foster our economic growth. A growing world economy will also enhance our domestic prosperity. Free trade and increased economic integration are key factors for raising standards of living, improving the working conditions of people in the Americas and better protecting the environment. We, therefore, resolve to begin immediately to construct the "Free Trade Area of the Americas" (FTAA), in which barriers to trade and investment will be progressively eliminated. We further resolve to conclude the negotiation of the "Free Trade Area of the Americas" no later than 2005, and agree that concrete progress toward the attainment of this objective will be made by the end of this century. We recognize the progress that already has been realized through the unilateral undertakings of each of our nations and the subregional trade arrangements in our Hemisphere. We will build on existing subregional and bilateral arrangements in order to broaden and deepen hemispheric economic integration and to bring the agreements together. Aware that investment is the main engine for growth in the Hemisphere, we will encourage such investment by cooperating to build more open, transparent and integrated markets. In this regard, we are committed to create strengthened mechanisms that promote and protect the flow of productive investment in the Hemisphere, and to promote the development and progressive integration of capital markets. To advance economic integration and free trade, we will work, with cooperation and financing from the private sector and international financial institutions, to create a hemispheric infrastructure. This process requires a cooperative effort in fields such as telecommunications, energy and transportation, which will permit the efficient movement of the goods, services, capital, information and technology that are the foundations of prosperity. We recognize that despite the substantial progress in dealing with debt problems in the Hemisphere, high foreign debt burdens still hinder the development of some of our countries. We recognize that economic integration and the creation of a free trade area will be complex endeavors, particularly in view of the wide differences in the levels of development and size of economies existing in our Hemisphere. We will remain cognizant of these differences as we work toward economic integration in the Hemisphere. We look to our own resources, ingenuity, and individual capacities as well as to the international community to help us achieve our goals. To Eradicate Poverty And Discrimination In Our Hemisphere It is politically intolerable and morally unacceptable that some segments of our populations are marginalized and do not share fully in the benefits of growth. With an aim of attaining greater social justice for all our people, we pledge to work individually and collectively to improve access to quality education and primary health care and to eradicate extreme poverty and illiteracy. The fruits of democratic stability and economic growth must be accessible to all, without discrimination by race, gender, national origin or religious affiliation. In observance of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, we will focus our energies on improving the exercise of democratic rights and the access to social services by indigenous people and their communities. Aware that widely shared prosperity contributes to hemispheric stability, lasting peace and democracy, we acknowledge our common interest in creating employment opportunities that improve the incomes, wages and working conditions of all our people. We will invest in people so that individuals throughout the Hemisphere have the opportunity to realize their full potential. Strengthening the role of women in all aspects of political, social and economic life in our countries is essential to reduce poverty and social inequalities and to enhance democracy and sustainable development. To Guarantee Sustainable Development and Conserve Our Natural Environment for Future Generations Social progress and economic prosperity can be sustained only if our people live in a healthy environment and our ecosystems and natural resources are managed carefully and responsibly. To advance and implement the commitments made at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, and the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, held in Barbados, we will create cooperative partnerships to strengthen our capacity to prevent and control pollution, to protect ecosystems and use our biological resources on a sustainable basis, and to encourage clean, efficient and sustainable energy production and use. To benefit future generations through environmental conservation, including the rational use of our ecosystems, natural resources and biological heritage, we will continue to pursue technological, financial and other forms of cooperation. We will advance our social well-being and economic prosperity in ways that are fully cognizant of our impact on the environment. We agree to support the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development, which seeks to strengthen those democracies by promoting regional economic and social prosperity and sound environmental management. In this context, we support the convening of other regional meetings on sustainable development. Our Declaration constitutes a comprehensive and mutually reinforcing set of commitments for concrete results. In accord with the appended Plan of Action, and recognizing our different national capabilities and our different legal systems, we pledge to implement them without delay. We call upon the OAS and the Inter-American Development Bank to assist countries in implementing our pledges, drawing significantly upon the Pan American Health Organization and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean as well as sub-regional organizations for integration. To give continuity to efforts fostering national political involvement, we will convene specific high-level meetings to address, among others, topics such as trade and commerce, capital markets, labor, energy, education, transportation, telecommunications, counter-narcotics and other anti-crime initiatives, sustainable development, health, and science and technology. To assure public engagement and commitment, we invite the cooperation and participation of the private sector, labor, political parties, academic institutions and other non-governmental actors and organizations in both our national and regional efforts, thus strengthening the partnership between governments and society. Our thirty-four nations share a fervent commitment to democratic practices, economic integration, and social justice. Our people are better able than ever to express their aspirations and to learn from one another. The conditions for hemispheric cooperation are propitious. Therefore, on behalf of all our people, in whose name we affix our signatures to this Declaration, we seize this historic opportunity to create a Partnership for Development and Prosperity in the Americas. Done at Miami, Florida, on this the 11th day of December, 1994, in the English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish languages. Note: The following hemispheric leaders signed the Declaration of Principles: Antigua and Barbuda--Prime Minister Lester Bird Argentina--President Carlos Saul Menem The Bahamas--Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham Barbados--Prime Minister Owen Arthur Belize--Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel Bolivia--President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada Bustamente Brazil--President Itamar Franco Canada--Prime Minister Jean Chretien Chile--President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle Colombia--President Ernesto Samper Pizano Costa Rica--President Jose Maria Figueres Olsen Dominica--Prime Minister Dame M. Eugenia Charles Dominican Republic--President Joaquin Balaguer Ricardo Ecuador--President Sixto Duran Ballen Cordovez El Salvador--President Armando Calderon Sol Grenada--Prime Minister Nicholas Braithwaite Guatemala--President Ramiro de Leon Carpio Guyana--President Cheddi Jagan Haiti--President Jean-Bertrand Aristide Honduras--President Carlos Roberto Reina Idiaquez Jamaica--Prime Minister Percival James Patterson Mexico--President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon Nicaragua--President Violeta Chamorro Panama--President Ernesto Perez Balladares Paraguay--President Juan Carlos Wasmosy Peru--President Alberto Kenyo Fujimori Saint Kitts and Nevis--Prime Minister Kennedy Simmonds Saint Lucia--Prime Minister John G. M. Compton Saint Vincent and the Grenadines--Prime Minister James F. Mitchell Suriname--President Ronald R. Venetiaan Trinidad and Tobago--Prime Minister Patrick Manning United States--President William J. Clinton [host] Uruguay--President Luis Alberto Lacalle Venezuela--President Rafael Caldera Rodriguez (###) ARTICLE 8: Plan of Action Text of Plan of Action appended to the Declaration of Principles and endorsed by the 34 hemispheric leaders in that document at the Summit of the Americas, Miami, Florida, December 11, 1994. Table of Contents I. Preserving and Strengthening the Community of Democracies of the Americas 1. Strengthening Democracy 2. Promoting and Protecting Human Rights 3. Invigorating Society/Community Participation 4. Promoting Cultural Values 5. Combating Corruption 6. Combating the Problem of Illegal Drugs and Related Crimes 7. Eliminating the Threat of National and International Terrorism 8. Building Mutual Confidence II. Promoting Prosperity Through Economic Integration and Free Trade 9. Free Trade in the Americas 10. Capital Markets Development and Liberalization 11. Hemispheric Infrastructure 12. Energy Cooperation 13. Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure 14. Cooperation in Science and Technology 15. Tourism III. Eradicating Poverty and Discrimination in Our Hemisphere 16. Universal Access to Education 17. Equitable Access to Basic Health Services 18. Strengthening the Role of Women in Society 19. Encouraging Microenterprises and Small Businesses 20. White Helmets--Emergency and Development Corps IV. Guaranteeing Sustainable Development and Conserving Our Natural Environment for Future Generations 21. Partnership for Sustainable Energy Use 22. Partnership for Biodiversity 23. Partnership for Pollution Prevention The heads of state and government participating in the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, Florida, desirous of furthering the broad objectives set forth in their Declaration of Principles and mindful of the need for practical progress on the vital tasks of enhancing democracy, promoting development, achieving economic integration and free trade, improving the lives of their people, and protecting the natural environment for future generations, affirm their commitment to this Plan of Action. I. PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES OF THE AMERICAS 1. Strengthening Democracy The strengthening, effective exercise and consolidation of democracy constitute the central political priority of the Americas. The Organization of American States (OAS) is the principal hemispheric body for the defense of democratic values and institutions; among its essential purposes is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect to the principle of non-intervention. The OAS has adopted multilateral procedures to address the problems created when democratic order has been interrupted unconstitutionally. In order to prevent such crises, the OAS needs to direct more effort toward the promotion of democratic values and practices and to the social and economic strengthening of already-established democratic regimes. Governments will: -- Give expeditious consideration to ratifying the Cartagena de Indias, Washington and Managua Protocols to the OAS Charter, if they have not already done so. -- Strengthen the dialogue among social groups and foster grass roots participation in problem solving at the local level. -- Support efforts by the OAS to promote democracy by: --Encouraging exchanges of election-related technologies and assisting national electoral organizations, at the request of the interested state. --Strengthening the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy so that it can provide assistance at the request of the interested state on such matters as legislative and judicial processes, government reforms (including administration of justice, technical modernization of national legislative bodies, simplification of government regulations and promotion of participation by community organizations in local democracy), and other institutional changes. --Encouraging opportunities for exchange of experiences among member states' democratic institutions, particularly legislature-to-legislature and judiciary-to-judiciary. --Fostering understanding, dialogue and political reconciliation, at the request of the affected state and bearing in mind that national reconciliation comes from within. --Requesting the OAS to promote and follow up on these commitments. 2. Promoting and Protecting Human Rights Great progress has been made in the Hemisphere in the development of human rights concepts and norms, but serious gaps in implementation remain. While courts ultimately have the responsibility for enforcing legal rights and obligations, reforms in other institutions are needed to contribute to the further development of a climate of respect for human rights. There must also be universal access to justice and effective means to enforce basic rights. A democracy is judged by the rights enjoyed by its least influential members. Governments will: -- Give serious consideration to adherence to international human rights instruments to which they are not already party. -- Cooperate fully with all United Nations and inter-American human rights bodies. -- Develop programs for the promotion and observance of human rights, including educational programs to inform people of their legal rights and their responsibility to respect the rights of others. -- Promote policies to ensure that women enjoy full and equal legal rights within their families and societies, and to ensure the removal of constraints to women's full participation as voters, candidates and elected and appointed officials. -- Review and strengthen laws for the protection of the rights of minority groups and indigenous people and communities to ensure freedom from discrimination, to guarantee full and equal protection under the law, and to facilitate active civic participation. Support a process to review and enhance the protection of indigenous rights in OAS member states and to develop promptly an effective United Nations declaration on indigenous rights. -- Review national legislation affecting people with disabilities, as well as benefits and services for them, and make any changes needed to facilitate the enjoyment by these individuals of the same rights and freedoms as other members of society. -- Undertake all measures necessary to guarantee the rights of children, and, where they have not already done so, give serious consideration to ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. -- Guarantee the protection of the human rights of all migrant workers and their families. -- Take the necessary steps to remedy inhumane conditions in prisons and to minimize the number of pretrial detainees. -- Review training curricula for law enforcement agents to ensure that they adequately cover proper treatment of suspects and detainees as well as relations with the community. -- Exchange experiences on protection of human rights at the national level and, where possible, cooperate in the development of law enforcement and security force training or other programs to reduce the potential for human rights violations. -- Call on the OAS and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to establish or to reinforce programs, as appropriate, to support national projects for the promotion and observance of human rights in the Western Hemisphere. -- Further strengthen the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. 3. Invigorating Society/Community Participation A strong and diverse civil society, organized in various ways and sectors, including individuals, the private sector, labor, political parties, academics, and other non-governmental actors and organizations, gives depth and durability to democracy. Similarly, a vigorous democracy requires broad participation in public issues. Such activities should be carried out with complete transparency and accountability, and to this end a proper legal and regulatory framework should be established to include the possibility of obtaining technical and financial support, including from private sources. Governments will: -- Review the regulatory framework for non-governmental actors with a view to facilitating their operations and promoting their ability to receive funds. This review will emphasize the management and oversight of resources as well as transparency and the accountability to society of said actors. -- Take steps to improve the participation in social activities and initiatives of groups traditionally marginalized, including women, youth, indigenous people and the extremely poor. -- Exchange progress reports on activities in the civil society area at the 1996 Summit Conference on Sustainable Development in Bolivia. -- Consider the development by the IDB of a new Civil Society Program to encourage responsible and accountable philanthropy and civic engagement in public policy issues. 4. Promoting Cultural Values Cultural development is a fundamental and integral component of development in the Americas and has an inherent capability to enrich our societies and to generate greater understanding among our countries. In order to promote cultural values, governments will: -- Encourage more dynamic relations among public and private institutions and organizations, including universities, museums, and centers of art and literature, as well as among individual cultural actors. Such exchanges emphasize our cultural diversity, recognize the value of our local cultures and contribute to improving hemispheric understanding. -- Request that the OAS and IDB reinforce their plans and programs to facilitate these cultural exchanges and the flow of cultural and historical information within and among our nations. 5. Combating Corruption The problem of corruption is now an issue of serious interest not only in this Hemisphere, but in all regions of the world. Corruption in both the public and private sectors weakens democracy and undermines the legitimacy of governments and institutions. The modernization of the state, including deregulation, privatization and the simplification of government procedures, reduces the opportunities for corruption. All aspects of public administration in a democracy must be transparent and open to public scrutiny. Governments will: -- Promote open discussion of the most significant problems facing government and develop priorities for reforms needed to make government operations transparent and accountable. -- Ensure proper oversight of government functions by strengthening internal mechanisms, including investigative and enforcement capacity with respect to acts of corruption, and facilitating public access to information necessary for meaningful outside review. -- Establish conflict of interest standards for public employees and effective measures against illicit enrichment, including stiff penalties for those who utilize their public position to benefit private interests. -- Call on the governments of the world to adopt and enforce measures against bribery in all financial or commercial transactions with the Hemisphere; toward this end, invite the OAS to establish liaison with the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions. -- Develop mechanisms of cooperation in the judicial and banking areas to make possible rapid and effective response in the international investigation of corruption cases. -- Give priority to strengthening government regulations and procurement, tax collection, the administration of justice and the electoral and legislative processes, utilizing the support of the IDB and other international financial institutions where appropriate. -- Develop within the OAS, with due regard to applicable treaties and national legislation, a hemispheric approach to acts of corruption in both the public and private sectors that would include extradition and prosecution of individuals so charged, through negotiation of a new hemispheric agreement or new arrangements within existing frameworks for international cooperation. 6. Combating the Problem Of Illegal Drugs and Related Crimes The problems of illegal drug and related criminal activities pose grave threats to the societies, free market economies, and democratic institutions of the Hemisphere. Drug use imposes enormous social costs; drug money and income are net drains on economic growth; and drug lords and criminal organizations endanger the security of our people through corruption, intimidation, and violence. While drug trafficking continues to be a significant source of illegal funds, the money laundering industry increasingly deals with the proceeds of all types of criminal activity. An integrated and balanced approach that includes respect for national sovereignty is essential to confront all aspects of these problems. For these reasons, a broad coordinated hemispheric strategy to reduce drug use and production, including new enforcement methods that can disrupt drug trafficking and money laundering networks and prosecute those engaged in such activities, is required. In this context, governments note the work of the 1992 San Antonio Summit, endorse the efforts of the Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse Control, and agree to work together to formulate a counter-narcotics strategy for the 21st century. Governments will: -- Ratify the 1988 United Nations Convention Against the Illicit Traffic of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances and make it a criminal offense to launder the proceeds of all serious crimes. -- Enact legislation to permit the freezing and forfeiture of the proceeds of money laundering and consider the sharing of forfeited assets among governments. -- As agreed by ministers and representatives of Caribbean and Latin American governments in the Kingston Declaration, November 5-6, 1992, implement the recommendations of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and work to adopt the Model Regulations of the Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse Control (CICAD). -- Encourage financial institutions to report large and suspicious transactions to appropriate authorities and develop effective procedures that would allow the collection of relevant information from financial institutions. -- Work individually and collectively to identify the region's narcotics trafficking and money laundering networks, prosecute their leaders, and seize assets derived from these criminal activities. -- Adopt programs to prevent and reduce the demand for and the consumption of illicit drugs. -- Adopt effective and environmentally-sound national strategies to prevent or reduce substantially the cultivation and processing of crops used for the illegal drug trade, paying particular attention to national and international support for development programs that create viable economic alternatives to drug production. -- Pay particular attention to the control of precursor chemicals and support comprehensive drug interdiction strategies. -- Strengthen efforts to control firearms, ammunition, and explosives to avoid their diversion to drug traffickers and criminal organizations. -- Hold a working-level conference, to be followed by a ministerial conference, to study and agree on a coordinated hemispheric response, including consideration of an inter-American convention, to combat money laundering. -- Convene a hemispheric-wide conference of donors, including multilateral development banks and UN agencies, to seek resources for alternative development programs aimed at curbing the production, trafficking, and use of illicit drugs, and the rehabilitation of addicts. -- Support the discussion the OAS has initiated with the European Union on measures to control precursor chemicals. -- Support the convening of a global counter-narcotics conference. 7. Eliminating the Threat of National and International Terrorism National and international terrorism constitute a systematic and deliberate violation of the rights of individuals and an assault on democracy itself. Recent attacks that some of our countries have suffered have demonstrated the serious threat that terrorism poses to security in the Americas. Actions by governments to combat and eliminate this threat are essential elements in guaranteeing law and order and maintaining confidence in government, both nationally and internationally. Within this context, those who sponsor terrorist acts or assist in their planning or execution through the abuse of diplomatic privileges and immunities or other means will be held responsible by the international community. Governments will: -- Promote bilateral and subregional agreements with the aim of prosecuting terrorists and penalizing terrorist activities within the context of the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. -- Convene a special conference of the OAS on the prevention of terrorism. -- Reaffirm the importance of the extradition treaties ratified by the states of the Hemisphere, and note that these treaties will be strictly complied with as an expression of the political will of governments, in accordance with international law and domestic legislation. 8. Building Mutual Confidence The expansion and consolidation of democracy in the Americas provide an opportunity to build upon the peaceful traditions and the cooperative relationships that have prevailed among the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Our aim is to strengthen the mutual confidence that contributes to the economic and social integration of our peoples. Governments will: -- Support actions to encourage a regional dialogue to promote the strengthening of mutual confidence, preparing the way for a regional conference on confidence-building measures in 1995, which Chile has offered to host. II. PROMOTING PROSPERITY THROUGH ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND FREE TRADE 9. Free Trade in the Americas 1) While pursuing economic integration and free trade in the Hemisphere, we reinforce our strong commitment to multilateral rules and disciplines. We endorse full and rapid implementation of the Uruguay Round, active multilateral negotiations in the World Trade Organization, bilateral and subregional trade agreements, and other trade arrangements that are consistent with the provisions of the GATT/WTO and that do not raise barriers to other nations. 2) Extraordinary achievements have been made by countries of the Hemisphere in trade liberalization and subregional integration. Free trade and increased economic integration are key factors for sustainable development. This will be furthered as we strive to make our trade liberalization and environmental policies mutually supportive, taking into account efforts undertaken by the GATT/WTO and other international organizations. As economic integration in the Hemisphere proceeds, we will further secure the observance and promotion of worker rights, as defined by appropriate international conventions. We will avoid disguised restrictions on trade, in accordance with the GATT/WTO and other international obligations. 3) We will strive to maximize market openness through high levels of discipline as we build upon existing agreements in the Hemisphere. We also will strive for balanced and comprehensive agreements, including among others: tariffs and non-tariff barriers affecting trade in goods and services; agriculture; subsidies; investment; intellectual property rights; government procurement; technical barriers to trade; safeguards; rules of origin; antidumping and countervailing duties; sanitary and phytosanitary standards and procedures; dispute resolution; and competition policy. 4) We recognize that decisions on trade agreements remain a sovereign right of each nation. In addition, recognizing the importance of effective enforcement of international commitments, each nation will take the necessary action, in accordance with its own legislation and procedures, to implement the agreements in the areas covered by this Plan of Action. 5) As we work to achieve the "Free Trade Area of the Americas," opportunities such as technical assistance will be provided to facilitate the integration of the smaller economies and increase their level of development. Immediate Action Agenda We direct our ministers responsible for trade to take the following concrete initial steps to achieve the "Free Trade Area of the Americas." 6) With the objective of ensuring full and complete discussion among the parties to the various trade agreements in the Hemisphere, we direct that meetings be held under existing trade and investment fora. Members of these fora will determine areas of commonality and divergence in the particular agreements under review and should consider the means of improving disciplines among them and bringing them together. We further direct that members of these fora inform ministers of the status of their discussions and make recommendations for achieving the "Free Trade Area of the Americas." 7) Transparency in, and a clear understanding of, the subregional and bilateral agreements achieved to date among the nations in the Hemisphere are critical for advancing trade and investment integration in the Americas. We will direct the OAS Special Committee on Trade, with the support of the IDB, ECLAC, and other specialized regional and subregional organizations, to assist in the systematization of data in the region and to continue its work on studying economic integration arrangements in the Hemisphere, including brief comparative descriptions of the obligations in each of the Hemisphere's existing trade agreements. We will further direct the Special Committee on Trade to prepare a report of its work by June 1995 for the meeting of ministers. 8) We direct our ministers responsible for trade to: (a) review the progress of work undertaken in the fora noted in paragraphs 6 and 7; (b) provide guidance with respect to further work; and (c) consider areas for immediate attention--such as customs facilitation and product testing and certification with a view to mutual recognition agreements-- that could be taken up in the appropriate fora. 9) Therefore, today we launch the "Free Trade Area of the Americas" by initiating the following process. We will direct the OAS to assist the host country in arranging the ministerial meetings. January 1995: Initiation of work programs and establishment of schedules in the fora in paragraph 6 and in the Special Committee on Trade. June 1995: Meeting of Ministers responsible for trade. --preliminary report on status of work in the fora described in paragraph 6. --preliminary Special Committee on Trade report. --areas for immediate consideration. March 1996: Meeting of Ministers responsible for trade. --final report to ministers by the Special Committee on Trade. --final reports to ministers from the fora described in paragraph 6. --timetable for further work. 10. Capital Markets Development And Liberalization The availability of capital at competitive rates is essential to finance private sector investment--a vital ingredient in economic development. Developing, liberalizing and integrating financial markets domestically and internationally, increasing transparency, and establishing sound, comparable supervision and regulation of banking and securities markets will help to reduce the cost of capital by enhancing investor and depositor confidence. Governments will: -- Form a Committee on Hemispheric Financial Issues to examine steps to promote the liberalization of capital movements and the progressive integration of capital markets, including, if deemed appropriate, the negotiation of common guidelines on capital movements that would provide for their progressive liberalization. -- Prepare, in cooperation with the Inter-American Development Bank, a comprehensive list of national capital regulations in order to promote transparency and support the discussions in the Committee on Hemispheric Financial Issues. -- Support the cooperative endeavors of the Association of Latin American and Caribbean Bank Supervisors and the Council of Securities Regulators of the Americas to provide sound supervision and regulation that support the development and progressive integration of markets. The Committee on Hemispheric Financial Issues should also review problems of debt in the Hemisphere, taking account of ongoing work and drawing, as appropriate, on a broad range of expertise. 11. Hemispheric Infrastructure Development in this Hemisphere depends on urgent infrastructure measures, including the priority allocation of financial resources, in accordance with national legislation and with the participation of both the public and private sectors. Strengthening the flow of private productive capital to economically and environmentally sound projects has become increasingly vital to countries throughout the Hemisphere as the growth of official sources of capital has failed to keep pace with the area's needs. Governments will: -- Charge multilateral development banks to work with governments and, as appropriate, private concerns, to develop mechanisms to deal with lending and investment issues. -- Draw on other regional and sub-regional experiences within the Hemisphere to support infrastructure development. -- Governments that so wish will develop suitable mechanisms, including multilateral and bilateral commitments on regulatory and legal rules and practices, to encourage private investment, both domestic and foreign, in national and transboundary infrastructure projects. 12. Energy Cooperation* The nations of the Hemisphere have begun a new era of economic growth. This new era is based on greater economic cooperation, freer trade, and open markets. Sustainable economic development requires hemispheric cooperation in the field of energy. Governments will: -- Convene a follow-up hemispheric officials' meeting in the first semester of 1995 to encourage cooperation to study ways to develop the energy industry within the Hemisphere, consistent with the least cost national energy strategies and the activities described in the "Partnership for Sustainable Energy use" in the following areas: --Consideration of ways to use the energy sector to promote sustainable economic growth. --Cooperation to study ways to optimize and facilitate the financing mechanisms of international financial institutions to support the development of projects in the energy sector, especially including those pertaining to the enhancement of efficiency in the use of energy and to non-conventional renewable energy. --Cooperation to promote capital investment and to foster the use of innovative financial mechanisms to increase investment in the energy sector and the enhancement of efficiency in the use of energy and non- conventional renewable energy, in accordance with each country's legislation and developmental needs. --Promotion of the use of efficient and non-polluting energy technologies, both conventional and renewable, leading to a higher degree of knowledge and technical expertise in this area. --Consideration of the enhancement of ongoing efforts to establish electric and other energy facilities in accordance with domestic regulatory frameworks and, where appropriate, under sub-regional agreements. *This initiative is integrally linked with the Partnership for Sustainable Energy Use item. 13. Telecommunications And Information Infrastructure A country's information infrastructure--telecommunications, information technology, and broadcasting--is an essential component of political, economic, social and cultural development. The information infrastructure development needs in the Americas are immense. The governments of the Americas intend to meet these needs by engaging in multiple actions, where consistent with their respective governing laws, such as: encouraging private sector investment to increase participation in the telecommunications and information infrastructure sectors; promoting competition; implementing flexible regulatory regimes; stimulating diversity of content, including cultural and linguistic diversity; providing access to information networks for service and information providers; and ensuring universal service, so that the benefits of the information infrastructure will be available to all members of our societies. Governments will: -- Engage in ongoing discussions at the international level of the actions referred to above and endeavor to take those actions in their own countries, taking account of domestic conditions and circumstances. -- Undertake efforts to make government information more publicly available via electronic means. -- Review the availability and interoperability of connections to international networks that facilitate trade, improve education and improve access to health care. -- Encourage major universities, libraries, hospitals and government agencies to have access to these networks, building on the work of the OAS Hemisphere-Wide Inter-University Scientific and Technological Information Network. -- Via the OAS Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL), and in coordination with the sub-regional telecommunications organizations, develop and carry out a work program to: --Evaluate regulatory, technical and legal means to promote liberalization, common standards, interoperability of networks and compatible use of the radio spectrum. --Examine ways to promote greater consistency of the certification processes for telecommunications equipment among member countries. --Develop regional guidelines for the provision of international value- added network services. --Support a meeting by 1996, coordinated by CITEL, of senior telecommunications officials to conduct further discussions of the above actions. 14. Cooperation in Science And Technology There is a need to reassess the on-going interaction among the region's science and technology (S&T) infrastructure and cooperative mechanisms; to provide impetus for improved cooperation; to reduce barriers to collaboration; to augment the demand for technology; and to disseminate information about technological opportunities using new advances in information technology; and generally to improve communications among the key S&T organizations, researchers in the region, and growing technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises. The commitment of the countries of the Americas to non-proliferation has gained new momentum with the acceptance of the international safeguard regime by some of our countries. The outstanding progress achieved in this field is to be commended and should contribute to enhanced opportunities for cooperation in the area of advanced goods and technologies. Governments will: -- Convene a meeting of ministers responsible for science and technology in the Hemisphere within the next year to assess progress and to promote the Bolivar Programme and the OAS Common Market of Scientific and Technological Knowledge (MERCOCYT) program, to provide the necessary support to improve scientific partnerships and technological ventures in the region, and to explore the possibility of establishing a council on science and technology. -- Use existing multilateral mechanisms in the region to address a wide number of common S&T interests, including enhanced professional technical training, development and implementation of national policies and regional programs, dissemination and standardization of science and technology (including metrology and other technical norms), environmental technology development, and more effective partnerships to promote learning and competitiveness. -- Stimulate greater S&T interaction in the Hemisphere and support efforts already undertaken in other fora, including the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, and the International Research Institute for Climate Prediction. Governments will serve to advance and communicate new initiatives such as the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. -- Confirm their interest in participating in new initiatives driven by a demand from private sector and non-government interests in technological opportunities. -- Confirm their national commitments to share S&T information with others in the Hemisphere, in accord with their respective laws, and to expand cooperation in scientific and environmental research. 15. Tourism Tourism is important to our economies and valuable in promoting understanding among the people of the Americas. Governments will: -- Undertake initiatives to stimulate tourism in the Hemisphere. III. ERADICATING POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION IN OUR HEMISPHERE Large segments of society in our Hemisphere, particularly women, minorities, the disabled, indigenous groups, refugees and displaced persons, have not been equipped to participate fully in economic life. Nearly one-half of the Hemisphere's population still lives in poverty. Expanded participation of the poor in the region's economies, access to productive resources, appropriate support for social safety nets and increased human capital investments are important mechanisms to help eradicate poverty. In pursuit of these objectives, we reaffirm our support for the strategies contained within the "Commitment on a Partnership for Development and Struggle to Overcome Extreme Poverty" adopted by the OAS General Assembly. The World Summit for Social Development to be held in Copenhagen in March 1995, as well as the United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995, will provide unique opportunities to define strategies to promote social integration, productive employment and the eradication of poverty. 16. Universal Access to Education Universal literacy and access to education at all levels, without distinction by race, national origin or gender, are an indispensable basis for sustainable social and cultural development, economic growth and democratic stability. Governments will: -- Guarantee universal access to quality primary education, working with public and private sectors and non-governmental actors, and with the support of multinational institutions. In particular, governments will seek to attain by the year 2010 a primary completion rate of 100 per cent and a secondary enrollment rate of at least 75 per cent, and to prepare programs to eradicate illiteracy, prevent truancy and improve human resources training. -- Promote, with the support of international financial institutions and the private sector, worker professional training as well as adult education, incorporating efforts to make such education more relevant to the needs of the market and employers. -- Improve human resources training, and technical, professional and teacher training, which are vital for the enhancement of quality and equity of education within the Hemisphere. -- Increase access to and strengthen the quality of higher education and promote cooperation among such institutions in producing the scientific and technological knowledge that is necessary for sustainable development. -- Support strategies to overcome nutritional deficiencies of primary school children in order to enhance their learning ability. -- Support decentralization including assurance of adequate financing and broad participation by parents, educators, community leaders and government officials in education decision-making. -- Review existing regional and hemispheric training programs and make them more responsive to current needs. -- Create a hemispheric partnership, working through existing organizations, to provide a consultative forum for governments, non- governmental actors, the business community, donors, and international organizations to reform educational policies and focus resources more efficiently. -- Urge the March 1995 World Summit for Social Development and the September 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women to address the issue of universal access to education. 17. Equitable Access to Basic Health Services Despite impressive gains in the Hemisphere, limitations on health services access and quality have resulted in persistently high child and maternal mortality, particularly among the rural poor and indigenous groups. Governments will: -- Endorse the maternal and child health objectives of the 1990 World Summit for Children, the 1994 Narino Accord and the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, and reaffirm their commitment to reduce child mortality by one-third and maternal mortality by one- half from 1990 levels by the year 2000. -- Endorse a basic package of clinical, preventive and public health services consistent with World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Bank recommendations and with the Program of Action agreed to at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development. The package will address child, maternal and reproductive health interventions, including prenatal, delivery and postnatal care, family planning information and services, and HIV/AIDS prevention, as well as immunizations and programs combating the other major causes of infant mortality. The plans and programs will be developed according to a mechanism to be decided upon by each country. -- Develop or update country action plans or programs for reforms to achieve child, maternal and reproductive health goals and ensure universal, non-discriminatory access to basic services, including health education and preventive health care programs. The plans and programs will be developed according to a mechanism to be decided upon by each country. Reforms would encompass essential community-based services for the poor, the disabled, and indigenous groups; stronger public health infrastructure; alternative means of financing, managing and providing services; quality assurance; and greater use of non-governmental actors and organizations. -- Strengthen the existing Inter-American Network on Health Economics and Financing, which serves as an international forum for sharing technical expertise, information and experience, to focus on health reform efforts. The network gathers government officials, representatives of the private sector, non-governmental institutions and actors, donors and scholars for policy discussions, analysis, training and other activities to advance reform; strengthens national capabilities in this critical area; and fosters Hemisphere-wide cooperation. -- Convene a special meeting of hemispheric governments with interested donors and international technical agencies to be hosted by the IDB, the World Bank and PAHO to establish the framework for health reform mechanisms, to define PAHO's role in monitoring the regional implementation of country plans and programs, and to plan strengthening of the network, including the cosponsors' contributions to it. -- Take the opportunity of the annual PAHO Directing Council Meeting of Western Hemisphere Ministers of Health, with participation of the IDB and donors, to develop a program to combat endemic and communicable diseases as well as a program to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to identify sources of funding. -- Urge the March 1995 World Summit for Social Development and the September 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women to address the issue of access to health services. 18. Strengthening the Role Of Women in Society The strengthening of the role of women in society is of fundamental importance not only for their own complete fulfillment within a framework of equality and fairness, but to achieve true sustainable development. It is essential to strengthen policies and programs that improve and broaden the participation of women in all spheres of political, social, and economic life and that improve their access to the basic resources needed for the full exercise of their fundamental rights. Attending to the needs of women means, to a great extent, contributing to the reduction of poverty and social inequalities. Governments will: -- Recognize and give full respect for all rights of women as an essential condition for their development as individuals and for the creation of a more just, united and peaceful society. For that purpose, policies to ensure that women enjoy full legal and civil rights protection will be promoted. -- Include a gender focus in development planning and cooperation projects and promote the fulfillment of women's potential, enhancing their productivity through education, training, skill development and employment. -- Promote the participation of women in the decision-making process in all spheres of political, social and economic life. -- Undertake appropriate measures to address and reduce violence against women. -- Adopt appropriate measures to improve women's ability to earn income beyond traditional occupations, achieve economic self-reliance, and ensure women's equal access to the labor market at all employment levels, the social security systems, the credit system, and the acquisition of goods and land. -- Cooperate fully with the recently-appointed Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences, of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. -- Support and actively work to secure the success of the United Nations World Conference on Women that will take place in Beijing in September 1995. -- Encourage, as appropriate, ratification and compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women. -- Further strengthen the Inter-American Commission on Women. -- Call upon regional and international financial and technical organizations to intensify their programs in favor of women. Encourage the adoption of follow-up procedures on the national and international measures included in this Plan of Action. 19. Encouraging Microenterprises And Small Businesses Microenterprises and small businesses account for a large percentage of the employment of the poor, particularly women, and contribute a considerable percentage of the gross domestic product of our countries. Strengthened support for microenterprises and small businesses is a key component of sustainable and equitable development. Governments will: -- Further pursue or initiate programs of deregulation and administrative simplification. -- Increase efforts to enable enterprises to obtain information on appropriate technologies (especially those that are environmentally sound), markets, processes, raw materials and management systems that will permit them to be more competitive in the global economy. -- Develop programs of financial deregulation to reduce costs in credit transactions and strengthen the institutional capacity of the financial sector servicing microenterprises and small businesses, and encourage the active participation by multilateral and bilateral agencies, development banks, commercial banks and other intermediary credit organizations, consistent with strict performance standards. -- Strengthen the institutions and programs that supply services and facilitate access to training and technical assistance to make possible this sector's participation in the global economy through export of its products and services. -- Encourage cooperation among businesses in this sector to enable them to benefit from the advantages of economies of scale without losing their distinctive characteristics. -- Promote the strengthening of relations among the public, private and mixed (public/private) institutions that support the microenterprise and small business sector through programs of information, training, technical assistance, financing and association-building, enabling this sector to thrive over the long term. -- Recommend to the multilateral development organizations, especially the World Bank and the IDB, the establishment or fortification of funds and other mechanisms to support microenterprises and small businesses. 20. White Helmets--Emergency And Development Corps The "White Helmets Initiative" is based on the conviction that a concerted international effort of developing and developed countries can facilitate the eradication of poverty and strengthen the humanitarian rapid response capability of the international community to emergency humanitarian, social and developmental needs. The countries of the Americas could pioneer this initiative through the creation of national corps of volunteers that could respond to calls from other countries in the region. These national corps could eventually be put at the disposal of the United Nations. Governments will on a voluntary basis: -- Establish, organize and finance a corps of volunteers to work at the national level and, at the same time, be at the disposal of other countries of the Hemisphere and, eventually, the United Nations system, on a stand-by basis, for prevention, relief, rehabilitation, technical, social and development cooperation, with the aim to reduce the effects of natural disasters, social and developmental needs and emergencies. -- Through the creation of a national corps of volunteers, be responsible for the following: --Selection and training of its national volunteer corps; --Financing of its national corps of volunteers, encouraging the involvement of the private sector; --Preparedness to send specialized volunteers, on short notice and at the request of the United Nations, to cope with situations generated by or to prevent the effects of natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. --Contribute to the formation of this corps and invite private enterprises, foundations and regional financial institutions to do so. --Contribute to the development of an international roster of volunteers to be maintained in a master plan in the United Nations to be drawn upon to complement the activities of existing UN mechanisms. The IDB, OAS, and PAHO should be invited to participate and assist in developing this corps. IV. GUARANTEEING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS 21. Partnership for Sustainable Energy Use* Consistent with Agenda 21 and the Framework Convention on Climate Change, sustainable energy development and use promote economic development and address environmental concerns. Governments and the private sector should promote increased access to reliable, clean, and least cost energy services through activities and projects that meet economic, social, and environmental requirements within the context of national sustainable development goals and national legal frameworks. Governments will: -- Pursue, in accordance with national legislation, least cost national energy strategies that consider all options, including energy efficiency, non-conventional renewable energy (i.e., solar, wind, geothermal, small hydro, and biomass), and conventional energy resources. -- Emphasize market-oriented pricing, which discourages wasteful energy use. -- Identify for priority financing and development at least one economically viable project in each of the following areas: non- conventional renewable energy, energy efficiency, and clean conventional energy. -- Promote, in cooperation with the private sector and rural and isolated communities, rural electrification programs which take into account where appropriate the utilization of renewable energy sources, in accordance with the domestic regulatory framework. -- Seek to ratify and begin implementation of the provisions of the Framework Convention on Climate Change which entered into force on March 21, 1994. -- Encourage the World Bank and IDB to increase promptly and substantially, as a portion of energy lending, financing of projects in energy efficiency and renewable energy and financing to improve the environmental sustainability of conventional energy sources, in accordance with economic rationality. -- Call on the multilateral financial institutions and other public and private financial institutions to finance regional and national programs in support of this action plan, such as training and exchange programs as well as technology cooperation, in accordance with the needs and conditions of receiving countries. -- Assist with coordination and technical cooperation between countries, using existing regional organizations, including project identification and implementation, training programs, and personnel and information exchanges to increase capacity. -- Promote the identification and implementation of private sector projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. -- Convene a Sustainable Energy Symposium in the first half of 1995 to discuss follow-up activities relative to this initiative. In the spirit of cooperation countries will share their experiences and discuss progress on implementing this action plan. *This initiative is integrally linked with the Energy Cooperation item. 22. Partnership for Biodiversity Our Hemisphere contains over half the world's biodiversity. To sustain the Hemisphere's social and economic development, we must intensify efforts to understand, assess, and sustainably use this living resource base. We must act now to increase the technical and management capacity and public awareness of national and international efforts in this area. Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and other related international instruments recognize these needs and call for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. Governments will: -- Seek to ensure that strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are integrated into relevant economic development activities including forestry, agriculture, and coastal zone management, taking into account the social dimension and impact of these activities. -- Develop and implement the policies, techniques, and programs to assess, conserve, and sustainably use terrestrial, marine, and coastal biodiversity resources. -- Seek to ratify the Convention on Biological Diversity and pursue opportunities for collaboration under it, and, as appropriate, other international and regional environmental instruments. -- Support democratic governmental mechanisms to engage public participation, particularly including members of indigenous communities and other affected groups, in the development of policy involving conservation and sustainable use of natural environments. The forms of this participation should be defined by each individual country. -- Develop national plans and programs to establish and strengthen the management of parks and reserves, seeking links to economic, social, and ecological benefits for local people. -- Build capacity for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, through programs on management of parks and protected areas, forests and wetlands management, the Small Islands Developing States Action Plan, the Coral Reef Initiative, CITES support projects, and the Caribbean Regional Marine Pollution Action Plan, among others. -- Launch a "Decade of Discovery" to promote hemispheric technical and scientific cooperation and to facilitate the exchange of information relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. -- Increase support of training and education initiatives addressing sustainable use of biodiversity resources and foster activities by universities, non-governmental actors and organizations and the private sector to assist in the training of managers and to empower local communities. -- Call on multilateral financial institutions, including the IDB and the Global Environment Facility, to support eligible regional and national projects. -- Discuss progress on implementation of national and international activities described above at the 1996 Summit Conference on Sustainable Development in Bolivia, and at subsequent annual sustainable development ministerials. 23. Partnership for Pollution Prevention As recognized in Agenda 21, sound environmental management is an essential element of sustainable development. Cooperative efforts are needed to develop or improve, in accordance with national legislation and relevant international instruments: (1) frameworks for environment protection; and (2) mechanisms for implementing and enforcing environmental regulations. To achieve this goal, a new partnership will promote cooperative activities for developing environmental policies, laws, and institutions; increasing technical capacity; promoting public awareness and public participation; continuing to pursue technological, financial and other forms of cooperation; and facilitating information exchange, including on environmentally sound technologies. The activities of the partnership will build on and advance the implementation of international agreements and principles including those agreed to at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the 1994 Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, in areas identified as priorities by countries of the Hemisphere. Governments will: -- Strengthen and build technical and institutional capacity to address environmental priorities such as pesticides, lead contamination, pollution prevention, risk reduction, waste and sanitation issues, improved water and air quality, access to safe drinking water, urban environmental problems, and to promote public participation and awareness. -- Develop and implement national action plans to phase out lead in gasoline. -- Strengthen national environmental protection frameworks and mechanisms for implementation and enforcement, and include sustainability criteria and objectives in national and other development strategies. -- Undertake national consultations to identify priorities for possible international collaboration. -- Support democratic governmental mechanisms to engage public participation, particularly from members of indigenous and other affected communities, in the consideration of policies regarding the environmental impact of development projects and the design and enforcement of environmental laws. -- Convene a meeting of technical experts, designated by each interested country, to develop a framework for cooperative partnership, building on existing institutions and networks to identify priority projects. These projects will initially focus on (1) the health and environmental problems associated with the misuse of pesticides, and (2) the impacts of lead contamination from gasoline and other sources. Subsequent activities could address waste, air, water quality, marine pollution from ships and other sources, and problems associated with urbanization. -- Promote the participation of organizations, such as the IDB, MIF, the World Bank, PAHO, the OAS, and non-governmental actors and organizations, as appropriate, to finance, develop and implement priority projects. -- Develop environmental policies and laws with the goal of ensuring that economic integration of the region occurs in an environmentally sustainable manner. -- Establish mechanisms for cooperation among government agencies, including in the legal and enforcement areas, to facilitate environmental information exchange, technology cooperation and capacity- building. -- Develop compatible environmental laws and regulations, at high levels of environmental protection, and promote the implementation of international environmental agreements. -- Discuss progress on implementation of international and national activities described above at the 1996 Summit Conference on Sustainable Development in Bolivia and at subsequent annual sustainable development ministerials. Appendix The primary responsibility for implementing this Plan of Action falls to governments, individually and collectively, with participation of all elements of our civil societies. Existing organizations or institutions are called upon to implement the package of initiatives that has emerged from this Summit of the Americas. In many instances we have proposed that specific issues be examined by meetings of ministers, senior officials or experts. We are also proposing that some of these initiatives be carried out in partnerships between the public and private sector. Wanting to benefit from existing hemispheric mechanisms, and considering the various proposals included in this Plan of Action, we offer the following recommendations, which shall not impede any government from approaching other institutions not cited herein, as appropriate. I. Principal Initiatives in Which International Organizations And Institutions Will Be Involved A) The OAS will have a paramount role in following up on the various decisions of this Summit meeting. Regarding the Plan of Action, the OAS has a particularly important supporting role in connection with the following: -- Strengthening Democracy -- Promoting and Protecting Human Rights -- Combating Corruption -- Eliminating the Threat of National and International Terrorism -- Building Mutual Confidence -- Free Trade in the Americas -- Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure The Action Plan also envisages roles for the OAS in the following areas: -- Promoting Cultural Values -- Combating the Problem of Illegal Drugs and Related Crimes -- Cooperation in Science and Technology -- Strengthening the Role of Women in Society -- Partnership for Pollution Prevention B) We call on the Inter-American Development Bank to support the activities specified in this Plan of Action. The policies agreed in the recently completed augmentation of its capital and replenishment of the Fund for Special Operations already move in the directions identified and should receive special emphasis. The IDB has a particularly important role in connection with the following: -- Universal Access to Education -- Equitable Access to Basic Health Services -- Encouraging Microenterprises and Small Businesses -- Partnership for Sustainable Energy Use -- Partnership for Biodiversity -- Partnership for Pollution Prevention In addition, the Action Plan envisages roles for the IDB and its affiliates in the following areas: -- Promoting and Protecting Human Rights -- Invigorating Society/Community Participation -- Promoting Cultural Values -- Combating Corruption -- Combating the Problem of Illegal Drugs and Related Crimes -- Free Trade in the Americas -- Capital Markets Development and Liberalization -- Hemispheric Infrastructure -- Cooperation in Science and Technology -- White Helmets--Emergency and Development Corps C) Other international organizations, notably ECLAC and PAHO in the Hemisphere, as well as the World Bank and all agencies of the UN system active in the Hemisphere, are called upon to assist in the implementation of the action items where appropriate. II. High-Level Meetings The following high level meetings and conferences are called for to carry out the mandates emanating from the Summit: -- Summit Conference on Sustainable Development (Bolivia, 1996) with follow-on Annual Ministerials -- Ministerial Conference on Combating Money Laundering (preceded by working level meeting) -- Conference of Donors for Alternative Development Programs to Curb Narcotics Trafficking -- Global Counter-Narcotics Conference -- Special OAS Conference on Combating Terrorism -- Regional Conference on Confidence-Building Measures (Chile, 1995) -- Meetings of Ministers Responsible for Trade (June 1995, March 1996) -- Meeting of Committee on Hemispheric Financial Issues -- Hemispheric Meeting on Development of Energy Industries (first semester 1995) -- Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Science and Technology (1995) -- Meeting Between Governments and Donors/Technical Agencies to Establish Health Reform Mechanisms -- Sustainable Energy Symposium (first half of 1995) III. Initiatives in Which Public And Private Sector Partnerships Play an Important Role -- Strengthening Democracy -- Promoting and Protecting Human Rights -- Invigorating Society/Community Participation -- Promoting Cultural Values -- Combating Corruption -- Hemispheric Infrastructure -- Cooperation in Science and Technology -- Universal Access to Education -- Equitable Access to Basic Health Services -- Encouraging Microenterprises and Small Businesses -- White Helmets--Emergency and Development Corps -- Partnership for Sustainable Energy Use -- Partnership for Biodiversity -- Partnership for Pollution Prevention (###) ARTICLE 9: U.S., Central America Sign CONCAUSA Declaration President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Costa Rican President Figueres, Guatemalan President De Leon Carpio Remarks at signing of CONCAUSA Declaration, Miami, Florida, December 10, 1994 Vice President Gore. President Figueres, President Chamorro, President De Leon, Prime Minister Esquivel, President Reina, President Calderon Sol, President Perez Balladares, President Clinton, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: It is a special pleasure for me to witness the signing of the CONCAUSA today. This ceremony is the result of many months of hard work by many people, both in Central America and the United States. Fundamentally, though, it is the vision and determination of the leaders of Central America that has brought us here today. Under the leadership of President De Leon, this group