Lima, Dec. 11, 2006.- The acting Secretary General of the Andean Community (CAN), Alfredo Fuentes Hernández, underscored the approval of "a new integration model for the twenty-first century” during the Second Summit of Heads of State of the South American Community of Nations, held on December 8 and 9 in the Bolivian city of  Cochabamba.

As specified in the Cochabamba Declaration, this is an integration model --he stated-- "with its own, pluralistic, identity amid the diversity and differences that recognizes the varying political and ideological conceptions” and that encompasses not only the sphere of trade and fuller economic and productive coordination, but also new forms of political, social and cultural cooperation. 

He stressed the importance of the convergence of all of the accomplishments and advances of the Andean Community and MERCOSUR, together with the experience of Chile, Guyana and Suriname.

The Secretary General of the CAN explained that a High-Level Commission will, with the cooperation of the Secretariats of the CAN, MERCOSUR, CARICOM and ALADI, ensure the implementation of the Presidential and Ministerial decisions and the coordination of initiatives in the areas of infrastructure, energy integration and social policies, together with the deepening of institutional links between MERCOSUR and the CAN, with the full participation of Chile, Guyana and Suriname.

"The efforts of this Commission and of the Secretariats will make it possible to review the agreements already reached between the CAN and MERCOSUR on similar matters in the political and social areas, in order to look into the possibility of extending them to all of the South American countries,” he explained.    

The acting Secretary General of the CAN participated in the Second Summit of Heads of State of the South American Community of Nations and the Twenty-fourth Meeting of the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers in Enlarged Session with the CAN Commission that was held within the framework of that Summit, as well as the First Meeting of the CAN – Chile Joint Commission, all of these in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba.