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OAS SECRETARY GENERAL TO ATTEND CARICOM SUMMIT
AND WILL VISIT HAITI AFTERWARDS

  July 1, 2005


Secretary General José Miguel Insulza will represent the Organization of American States at the opening ceremony this Sunday of the Twenty-Sixth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in Saint Lucia. The CARICOM summit runs until July 6.

Mr. Insulza then travels to Haiti for a visit July 5 through 7, and will be accompanied on that trip by Assistant Secretary General-elect Albert R. Ramdin, a diplomat from Suriname, as well as by chief of staff Ricardo Dominguez.

The OAS Secretary General is attending the Caribbean leaders’ gathering at the invitation of CARICOM Secretary-General Edwin Carrington. In accepting the invitation, Insulza said he looks forward to interacting with the Caribbean leaders. He observed that the CARICOM Heads of Government are meeting at a historic time for the regional integration movement as member states make final preparations for the implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. “The moment is also propitious both for CARICOM and for the OAS as we seek to address the challenges to democratic governance facing many countries in the hemisphere.”

Of his upcoming visit to Haiti, Insulza stated that, “Putting words into action, I will be there to view the situation first-hand and to support the OAS Special Mission’s work, particularly as it relates to the technical support it provides for the voter-registration process.”

During his Haiti visit, the Secretary General will meet with Interim President Boniface Alexandre, Prime Minister Gérard Latortue and members of the Provisional Electoral Council, as well as with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Juan Gabriel Valdes, representatives of the main political parties and civil society and international organizations.

Reference: E-133/05