Page 283 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

No Objection To Declassification in hull 2013/02/04 : NLC-24-68-6-6-8

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(Comment: Orfila's remarks were very encouraging, particularly on the
structural reforms necessary to make the OAS into a body worth paying
attention to. The real source of the OAS's problems right now is the state
of international politics in the hemisphere. Ajt Latin America's insistence,
the U.S . has retreated from its predominant position in the OAS , but the
Latin Americans themselves have been reluctant to take any initiative in
this regional forum . Any international leadership on the part of the Latin
Americans has been in global fora like C1EC, as well as at UNCTAD in the
United Nations. The result is that the OAS is rudderless, and the quality
of representation there is one indication of the low importance which
countries attach to it.

The image of the OAS as a bureaucratic morass is no help. So Orfila's
attempt to prune the OAS, cut its staff and its tasks, would be a very
healthy Bign, and we should definitely encourage such a move and support
his efforts.

Orfila's efforts in the El-Salvador-Honduras and in the Belize disputes
represents one path that the OAS could constructively travel. Indeed,
no one else can really play that kind of role in the hemisphere at this
time except the OAS Secretary General, and we are fortunate that Orfila
is both energetic and intelligent. We should encourage his efforts in
the peacekeeping field, and encourage the OAS's'efforts in human rights.
We should also encourage the OAS to leave ttfe economic and social
fields to other institutions which can do those tasks much better.)