Speech of the Constitutional President of the Republic of Ecuador and President of the Andean Presidential Summit, Lucio Gutiérrez Borbúa, in the Closing Ceremony of the 15th Andean Presidential Summit and transfer of the Presidency of the Andean Community to Peru

Quito, July 12, 2004

Liberator Simón Bolívar once said that “the unity of our people is not a simple dispute of man, but a non-appealable decree of destiny”.

This afternoon, at the end of this significant meeting of the Andean Presidential Summit, I have deemed necessary to share with you important reflections on the commitment made to provide a forward boost to our Andean integration process, which 35 years ago bonded our relationship even tighter, when our predecessors dreamed – at the time – with a common market which would make us larger, less vulnerable to international changes and capable of promoting development for our people.

I wish to refer to the job carried out by Ecuador during its year as President of the Andean Community, a year which, although requiring quite a commitment to perform this work, has left us with an important satisfaction; and most of all, the assurance that we can travel farther in the expansion of our political, economic and social integration.

Ecuador has been one of the major promoters of Andean integration from the outset. These objectives, which have always formed part of my country’s foreign policy, have above all, tried to drive the community project from an integrated point of view, in a way that it will conjugate the commitments made on the building of the Andean common market with those relating to relations outside the Andean Community with reference to politics and trade with third parties, in addition to the development of a social agenda and an increasing involvement of society in the process.

The development of such varied agenda leads us to reflect with priority about the need to study the possibility to design a new Andean institutionality which will allow us to tackle, through the sectors, but at the same time in an integrated manner, current and future challenges required by a modern and efficient Andean integration system.

Ecuador was given the Presidency of the Andean Community on June 28, of last year, upon the conclusion of the 14th Andean Presidential Summit held in Quirama, Colombia.

Upon assuming this serious commitment, we concentrated our efforts to consolidate the union of its Member States, so that their Presidents will commit the political support aimed at revamping several of the vital bases of the Andean Community, since the main value of this sub-regional organization is the creation of a block which supplies strength to its members, in the negotiations we pursue with third parties, as well as in the development intra-community cooperation policies.

To this effect, the Pro Tempore Secretariat, under the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, proposed a work plan for compliance with the main issues identified in the Declaration of Quirama, referring to the political, social, cultural and economic dimensions of Andean integration.

With the support of the General Secretariat and of the Member Countries, we have fulfilled a large portion of our duty with this work plan.

Concerning Common External Policy, and especially relations with third parties, the negotiations with the European Union ended with the signing of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the Andean Community and the European Union, in the City of Rome, on December 15, 2003, an event which definitely sets a historical mark for our process of integration with Europe.

Additionally, the meeting between the Chairman of the European Commission, Christopher Patten and the Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministries and the progress obtained in the 7th Meeting of the Mixed CAN – EU Commission, held in this City of Quito, cleared the way for the Summit of Heads of State and Government from the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean meeting in Guadalajara, to resolve the beginning of a negotiation process for an agreement of association, which would include a Free Trade Agreement, opening new options for bilateral trade and introducing a healthy equilibrium between the different negotiations carried out by some of our countries.

According to the commitments made in Quirama, Ecuador, together with Colombia and Venezuela, following arduous negotiations, agreed on the establishment of a free trade zone with MERCOSUR, a document which was signed in the City of Montevideo, on December 16, 2003, and which will come into force in this month of July.

In accordance with the above, I feel that I faithfully interpreted your mandate to invite the Chairman of the Commission of Permanent Representatives of MERCOSUR, Doctor Eduardo Duhalde, to begin a strategic association process involving the Andean Community, MERCOSUR and Chile, with a Heads of State Summit representing the two sub-regional blocks, to allow us to materialize the creation of a South American environment for cooperation and convergence. This initiative will make it possible to increase the negotiation capacity of both blocks, which will in turn translate into a greater presence in the current international scenario.

The 1st Meeting of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism was held in the month of May of this year, involving the Andean Community and the Russian Federation. This is a rather important event, not only because of the excellent interest shown by that country, but also because of the potential and similarities discovered, which will enable us to go together on matters such as illegal drug traffic, natural disasters, the environment and natural resources and the fight against corruption, to cite but the most important. Such closer ties with a member of the United Nations Security Council must move forward in the immediate future, maintaining a realistic position based on the consideration of common interests and mutual openness.

Lastly, I must say that the boost given to the Common External Policy was the direct result of the series of meetings held by the Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers in the City of New York, in September of last year, within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, and counterparts from MERCOSUR, the European Union and China, as well as with the Under Secretary of Political Affairs of the State Department of the United States de America, which was coordinated by the Pro Tempore Secretariat.

Recognizing the fact that the States must face a variety of threats, in a Decision of the Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers, we adopted the Guidelines for the Andean Common Policy on External Security, as a strategy of consensus and convergence, which consolidates the vision and perception of Andean security, with the object of strengthening democratic institutionality and the state of law.

As a clear and decisive signal given to the rest of the nations of the world, and of the path we wish to follow, we have just issued a political declaration concerning the characterization of the Andean Community as a Peace Zone, in order to prevent the risk of a proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical arsenals or other types of mass destruction weapons in our territory.

Likewise, the worldwide drug problem has also demanded great efforts to be made by the Andean governments, in order to more efficiently control this scourge, which is experienced by our society in these times.

Accordingly, the 3rd Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Andean Cooperation Plan for Fighting against Drugs and Associated Crimes was held in the City of Cuenca, in April of this year, with results which serve to strengthen the institutional and regulatory framework of the Andean Community to control this serious problem.

Convinced of the importance of the Andean Charter for Human Rights, an instrument adopted by the Andean Presidents in the 2nd Summit of Heads of State and Government of South America, celebrated in the City of Guayaquil in 2002, on the proposal of Ecuador, the 12th Meeting of the Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministries approved the work plan for the diffusion and execution of the Andean Charter for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

Its rigorous application will attach credibility and consistency to the integration process since this instrument not only establishes avant-garde principles and mechanisms in comparison with others, including in the industrialized world; but it also preserves, protects and develop their own values and traditions.

Ecuador also feels satisfied by the implementation of the Social Development Integrated Plan - PIDS -, the fruit of long and exhaustive work carried out by the five Member Countries, consisting of a collection of contributions from all the sectors involved in the management, application and receipt of social policies. Now, the great challenge is to implement the relevant mechanisms in order to develop the specific bases of the social development integrated program, so as to consolidate our old wish to reach acceptable levels in the quality of life of our people.

In addition, the implementation of the Andean Social Security Instrument and the Andean Occupational Safety and Health Instrument represents the initial foundation of our new dimension for the promotion of labor rights.

Ecuador is pleased to report that it has already instituted its National Chapter of the Andean Council for the Rights of Indigenous People, urging the other Member Countries to institute their own national chapters to organize the Andean meeting of this social participation mechanism as soon as possible, which venue, let me reiterate, has been offered by my country.

Everyone is aware of the fact that the progress made on trade and economic matters represents a greater level of sensitivity for the Andean Community’s Member Countries, and to this effect, we wish to ask you to reflect on what is needed for the establishment of a customs union, with a Common External Duty, and the future materialization of an Andean common market, which would turn the CAN into a sound, credible and serious integration process.

In spite of the obstacles we have faced in this delicate integration effort, we must, however, highlight the progress made in terms of a common customs control system and customs formation, as well as the regimen implemented to prevent double taxation and tax evasion prevention, modest progress made, to contribute to the expansion of our economic and trade integration.

In the same line of thought, we must recognize the efforts which had to be made by the Andean countries in the last semester of the year 2003 and so far this year, in order to arrive to a Common External Duty, which is still in the process of consolidation and which will require a significant doses of a greater political will and commitment.

Concerned about the need to strengthen Andean institutionality, we have created the Andean Committee of Export Promotion Authorities, the Consultative Council of Municipal Authorities, the Andean Council of Ministers of the Environment, the Andean Council of Ministers of Education and the Andean Council of Ministers of Social Development, as we firmly believe that through these new entities we will make quick headway towards a common development policy and programs which will result in the improved welfare of our people and more coherence in the integration process.

The Andean Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers was responsible for hearing and deciding on the resignation of the Secretary General of the Andean Community, in December of last year, when there was great expectation about the outcome of our immediate objectives. The appointment of Ambassador Allan Wagner as the new Andean Community’s Secretary General is not only the right decision; as it is also a guaranty, so that during his tenure, a new awakening will be consolidated, seeing the materialization of the new direction needed by the Andean Community to face the challenges of the future.

In summary, my dear friends, this has been a year of much work, great efforts deployed and important goals attained and achievements made.

Due to all of this, I wish to thank the Member Countries for their support to Ecuador’s endeavors in charge of this process; the Andean Community’s General Secretariat, for the invaluable technical support, which has earned it very high international acknowledgements; and finally, the Pro Tempore Secretariat of the Ecuadorian Presidency of the Andean Community, as well as the different national organizations involved, which work teams were capable of performing with great skills and responsibility, the enormous challenge which implied to take over the control of the process with many a trial to overcome throughout the year.

At this point, when I transfer the Presidency of the Andean Presidential Summit to my friend and colleague, Alejandro Toledo, President of the Republic of Peru, I wish to renew my decided support to his pursuit as he handles the integration process; and at the same time, get a commitment on his political will for the attainment of such high objectives of the community project and its projection in South America.

We are sure that his work will lead us to new courses, which will allow us to reach Bolivar’s ideal to materialize the directives contained in the Declaration of Quito.

Let us not forget that Andean integration has been – historically and now – the true reflection of the political will of its governments and its society. We must get the integration process closer to the reality lived by the 120 million Andean people, which welfare is the sole and ultimate purpose of our actions, so that based on such welfare, we may be able to generate a greater sense of unity and solidarity concerning the obvious advantages inherent to the international scene, deriving from the configuration of an integration with a decided personality and character.

As proclaimed by Liberator Simón Bolívar: “In misfortune we were united by destiny; bravery has united us in our purpose; and nature turned us into same being, so we could become brothers”.

Thank you very much.