Andean Community (CAN) Secretary General Guillermo Fernández de Soto pointed out the need for the subregion today to design and implement concrete plans of action to combat terrorism, the worldwide drug problem, corruption and the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons.

"These are the most pressing problems of Andean security and are closely interlinked.  They deserve a coordinated response from the subregion and the world in keeping with the principle of  shared responsibility,” Fernández de Soto stressed.   

In the context of the forthcoming meeting on Hemispheric Security, to be held in Mexico, the Secretary General proposed that the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers reflect on the subject in depth, with a view to constructing and upholding a common position and contributing to the formulation of Guidelines for a CAN Security Policy.   

This ministerial meeting, which will take place this coming October in Lima, will also offer an opportunity to look into the possibility of summoning a special meeting of the Andean Presidential Council before the year is out to establish common foreign policy guidelines for combating these scourges.

"This special Summit, which I also have proposed convening, could lay the groundwork for a meeting with developed countries that are committed to and more closely associated with us in this undertaking and which, drawing its inspiration from the 1992 San Antonio Summit, could result in a broader agenda and list of participants,” Fernández de Soto concluded.


Lima, August 29, 2003