Lima, May 31, 2005.- The Andean Community General Secretariat will participate in setting up the working committees for political dialogue and coordination for civil society promoted by the Government of Ecuador and will also act as an Observer of the appointment process of Ecuador’s new Supreme Court.

The formal note sent by Andean Community Secretary General, Allan Wagner Tizón, to Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Antonio Parra Gil, officialized the CAN’s institutional collaboration in the two processes.

In his communication, Allan Wagner informed the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister that the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers, meeting in Luxemburg on May 26th, authorized the Andean Community General Secretariat to accede to the request made by the Government of Ecuador to collaborate, together with other international organizations, in establishing working committees for political dialogue and coordination for civil society in an effort to strengthen Ecuador’s democratic institutions.

The Foreign Ministers also authorized the General Secretariat to participate as an Observer, together with the United Nations and the European Union, of the appointment process of the new Ecuadorian Supreme Court.

The Government of Ecuador, under the Presidency of Alfredo Palacio, had extended an invitation to the Andean Community General Secretariat to participate in setting up the working committees for political dialogue and coordination on May 11, in response to the visit made by Ambassador Wagner to Quito three weeks ago.

In addition, the Third Temporary Provision of the Judicial Reform Act recently passed by Ecuador’s Congress invites the CAN General Secretariat to participate as an Observer in the process of appointment of the new Ecuadorian Supreme Court.