PRESS CONFERENCE BY RIO GROUP

14 November 2001

At a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, Minister of External Relations of Chile, spoke to correspondents on behalf of the Rio Group of countries, about this morning’s meeting of the Group at which declarations on terrorism and the Middle East were adopted. Also present was at the press conference was Roberto Rojas Lopez, the Minister of External Relations and Culture of Costa Rica.

Ms. Valenzuela said the last meeting of the Rio Group had been held in August at the Presidential level in Santiago de Chile, when they launched new multilateral trade negotiations in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ministers of the Rio Group would continue to work in this manner in the run-up to the Financing for Development Conference to be held in Mexico next year. Presidents had entrusted to a group of economists production of a study that would serve as the basis for the presentation that would be given in Monterrey in March 2002.

The Rio Group wished to follow up on the two resolutions of the Security Council, in particular Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), which obliged States to align themselves with a set of conditions to counter terrorism. On 5 and 6 November, the Group held a meeting among its legal ministers to give important inputs on how best to comply with those obligations. The Group spoke with one voice on the very sensitive topic of terrorism, which had burst on the international scene so forcefully on 11 September.

At the end of today’s meetings, the Group had issued two declarations, she explained. The first concerned terrorism and: registered the deepest rejection of the entire phenomenon; declared a day of remembrance for the victims of the attack; and supported all actions undertaken to combat terrorism in exercise of the right to self-defence. The declaration also outlined measures the Members of the Group would take to deepen their information sharing and to repress the financing of terrorism.

The Group had also adopted a declaration on the Middle East crisis, she continued. Members of the Group condemned acts of violence and the threat or use of force and recognized that the peaceful settlement of disputes was the only legitimate way to bring about peace. The Group supported the resolutions of the United Nations, which were the basis for the creation of a viable, independent and democratic Palestinian State and for the security of Israel within internationally recognized borders. They reiterated their desire for the peace talks first agreed to at Oslo in 1993 to resume.

In the context of these meetings, the Group had met with the 22 members of the League of Arab States, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and with representatives of the United Kingdom, Ukraine, India and the European Union, she said. They would soon be meeting with representatives of China and the Republic of Korea. It had been possible for the Group to function as a group in several fora of the United Nations and to reach consensus on many themes. They had

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ensured their legitimacy as a forum for political consultation. Delegations of several countries had asked for meetings with the Group, she continued.

Asked if a solution for the situation in the Middle East could be found, Ms. Valenzuela said that the Group took a positive view of the situation, having just had discussions with the Arab League, as well as Mr. Peres. She appreciated the willingness of the parties most directly involved to find a solution. That commitment was also true of various delegations, as demonstrated in the statements that had been made in the various fora of the United Nations and in the bilateral discussions delegations had had with the Group.

Did the Rio Group have an official comment on what had happened in Kabul yesterday?, a correspondent asked. She replied that no, she did not have an official statement for the Group, but States had the opportunity to make their positions on the subject known at the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan yesterday. She had taken the floor to explain her country’s support for the proposals made by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi. The United Nations should support Afghanistan, while it tried to put together a government, and should support the people there with humanitarian aid.

Ms. Valenzuela was asked what the position of the Rio Group would be at the upcoming meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and at the Conference on Financing for Development. She said that, because it held the Presidency of the Rio Group this year, Chile would be making the presentation at the IMF this year, on a date yet to be decided. As concerned the Conference, she continued, the Group would have a thoughtful statement to give at Monterrey.

A correspondent asked why the Rio Group had not complained about the way in which the United States had carried out its actions against terrorism. Ms. Valenzuela said that the Group supported strong action against terrorism. Solidarity was necessary to combat a cruel enemy that sought to kill innocent civilians. This problem had to be dealt with at the political, diplomatic and humanitarian levels. The Group was appreciative of what had been done at the United Nations and believed the Security Council and General Assembly had acted appropriately in the search for a response.

She wanted Afghanistan to have a government that the international community could support, she said. Mr. Brahimi’s report had pointed out that the United Nations should try to arrange a meeting among the various Afghan groups in order to set up a sort of transitional government. That transitional government should support humanitarian assistance and convene a constituent Assembly, which would make it possible to consolidate the country. That required United Nations support.

Another correspondent asked about the poor economic forecast for the region and the steps had been taken to help those most affected by it. The Group, she explained, had discussed topics like that at its meeting in August. The President of Argentina had spoken to President George Bush and the group of 8 industrialized countries about the importance of working together on economic issues. The postponement of the IMF meeting had prevented discussion of the poor forecast.

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There was no doubt that there was cause for concern for the Group, and in Europe and Japan as well. Since 11 September there were new issues to be dealt with, such as the rising cost of transportation and insurance for goods and the problems affecting tourism. Those topics would have to be examined, which made the Conference on Financing for Development all the more important.

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In progress at UNHQ