OPENING OF VII OASGA - JUNE 14, 1977 (UFO).

[Terry W. Colvin]

P 151800Z JUN 77
FM USDEL GRENADA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0014
BT
C O N F I D E N T I A L GRENADA 00014
DEPT PLEASE PASS ALL AMREP FROM USDEL OASGA USOAS DEL 3
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PROG, OAS, HR
SUBJ: OPENING OF VII OASGA - JUNE 14, 1977 (UFO)
1. HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLETELY DOMINATED FIRST DAY OF OASGA. LINES WERE
DRAWN EARLY FOR DEBATE THAT WAS FREQUENTLY SHARP AND OCCASIONALLY
BITTER. PRIME MINISTER GAIRY OPENED SESSION WITH A LONG, RAMBLING,
SPEECH THAT TOUCHED ON THEOLOGY, SEX DISCRIMINATION, HUMAN RIGHTS
AND UFO'S. SECGEN ORFILA THEN GAVE ROUTINE SPPECH, WITH ONE GLANCING
REFERENCE TO MINI-STATES, WHICH HE CLEARLY WELCOMED. VENEZUELAN
FONMIN ESCOVAR RESPONDED ON BEHALF OF ALL DELEGATIONS BUT USED
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE STRONG PLEA FOR DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
STRENGTHENING INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
2. WITH GAIRY IN CHAIR, ASSEMBLY TURNED NEXT TO ADOPTING AGENDA.
FONMIN FACIO (COSTA RICA) ATTEMPTED TO ADD NEW ITEM CONCERNING
RATIFICATION PROCESS FOR PACT OF SAN JOSE (INTER-AMERICAN
CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS) THAT WOULD ESTABLISH SPECIAL
CONFERENCE TO REDUCE FROM ELEVEN TO SEVEN NUMBER OF RATIFICATIONS
NEEDED TO BRING CONVENTION INTO FORCE. BRAZILIAN FONMIN SILVERIA
TOOK SHARP ISSUE WITH IDEA OF READDRESSING PACT SIGNED IN 1969 AND
STILL RATIFIED BY ONLY TWO STATES. HE SAID BRAZIL WOULD NOT FAVOR
SUCH A CONFERENCE. GAIRY ASKED IF ANYONE SECONDED COSTA RICA'S
ITEM FOR ADDITION TO AGENDA BUT GAVELLED SUBJECT CLOSED BEFORE
ANYONE COULD SPEAK. FACIO PROMISED TO RAISE IT AGAIN COMMITTEE I
UNDER CHILE'S AGENDA ITEM 22, QUOTE STRENGTHENING THE IAHRC UNQUOTE.
3. SECRETARY VANCE ARRIVED IN TIME FOR AFTERNOON OPENING OF INFORMAL
DIALOGUES. FIRST SPEAKER RECOGNIZED WAS NEW ARGENTINE FONMIN MONTES,
WHO SAID WHOLE AGENDA SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AS A UNIT, DESCRIBED
TERRORISM AS MOST SERIOUS ISSUE FACING THE CONFERENCE AND CALLED
FOR ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS IN NATIONAL CONTEXT OF WIDESPREAD
TERRORIST ASSAULT ON RIGHTS OF CITIZENS TO KVIE. GAIRY NEXT
RCOGNIZED CHILEAN FONMIN CARVAJAL WHO MOUNTED BITTER ATTACK
ON USG, AND CARTER ADMINISTRATION BY NAME, FOR ITS ESPOUSAL OF
HUMAN RIGHTS IN DIVISIVE DISCRIMINATRORY FASHION. HE SAID CHILE
SHARED PRINCIPLES U.S. ATTEMPTING TO PROMOTE BUT FACED ASSAULT BY
INTERNATIONAL MARXIST CONSPIRACY BENT ON DESTROYING DIGNITY OF
INDIVIDUAL.
4. CARVAJAL APPLAUDED U.S. EFFORTS TO LOOK INTO HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEMS
IN OTHER COUNTRIES BY LOOKING AT ITSELF FIRST. HE QUOTED SECRETARY
VANCE'S ATHENS, GEORGIA SPEECH TO EFFECT U.S. REALIZED IT WAS NOT
WITHOUT BLEMISH. EVEN U.S. FINDS THESE PRINCIPLES DIFFICULT TO
IMPLEMENT IN ATMOSPHERE OF RACIAL UNREST, CRIMINAL DISORDER AND
RANDOM INSISTENCE. QUOTING BEN BRADLEE OF WASHINGTON POST, HE SAID
U.S. PRESS INFLUENCES PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST ALLIES UNDER ASSAULT
BECAUSE IT PUBLISHES "WHAT PEOPLE TELL US....WE PUBLISH LIES." HE
ADDED THAT U.S. PRESS SPREADS LIES ABOUT LATIN AMERICA, WITH NO RIGT
OF REPLY PERMITTED, AND THAT IS THE CAUSE OF DIVISION IN THE
HIMISPHERE. CARVAJAL QUOTED EXTENSIVELY FROM IADB REPORTS, CITING
U.S. NAVAL OFFICER WHO WAS THEN CHAIRMAN, TERRORISM IS FOMENTED BY
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNIST CONSPIRACY WITH HELP OF "USEFUL IDIOTS" IN
LA COUNTRIES AND FINANCING FROM FOREIGN SOURCES AT HIGH LEVELS.
5. TERRORISM IS MOST DANGEROUS THREAT TO HUMAN RIGHTS IN HIMISPHERE,
CARVAJAL SAID, WITH PROPAGANDA AND WEAPONS POURING IN FROM SOVIET
UNION BUT STRUGGLE AGAINST IT IS IMPEDED BY U.S. CUT OFF OF ASSISTANCE
UNDER TERMS OF RIO TREATY. HE CONCLUDED SARCASTICALLY BY QUOTING
MACHIAVELLI'S WARNING AGAINST PRINCES WHO BETRAY FRIENDS TO WIN
OVER ENEMIES.
6. SECRETARY VANCE WAS NEXT RECOGNIZED. HE DID NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY
TO CONCERTED ATTACK. SECRETARY SAID HE WAS GRATIFIED COLLEAGUES HAD
RECOGNIZED SERIOUSNESS OF PROBLEM AND NEED TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL AND
COLLECTIVE MEASURES TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS. HE MADE PREPARED
STATEMENT BUT OMITTED PARAGRAPH ON MINI-STATES, IN DEFERENCE TO
STRONG FEELINGS VOICED PRIVATELY BY JAMAICA, BARBADOS, TRINIDAD
AND SURINAM.
7. URUGUAY FOLLOWED WITH ATTACK ON IAHRC FOR ALLOWING ITSELF TO BE
"POLITICIZED" AND FOLLOWED WITH TEDIOUS RECOUNTING OF NEGOTIATIONS
OVER COMMISSION'S REQUEST TO VISIT URUGUAY.
8. JAMAICAN AMBASSADOR TO OAS RATTRAY STATED STRONG CASE FOR "OPENING
DOORS" TO IAHRC TO END FRIVOLOUS OR UNJUST CHARGES AND BRING FACTS OF
SITUATION OUT IN OPEN. HE SPOKE OF MANY KINDS OF RIGHTS, BEYOND
INTEGRITY OF INDIVIDUAL AND FREEDOM FROM TORTURE, CITING ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL RIGHTS IN PARTICULAR. HE SPOKE SHARPLY OF "RIGHT OF SMALL
NATIONS TO INDEPENDENCE", AND REFERRED DIRECTLY TO CASE OF BELIZE
AND CIRITICIZED GUATEMALA'S INTRANSIGENCE.
9. GUATEMALA'S FONMIN MOLINA RESPONDED WITH IMPASSIONED STATEMENT
DEFENDING HIS COUNTRY'S CLAIMS TO BELIZE. REJECTING ATTEMPTS OF
INTERNATIONAL BODIES TO INTERVENE, HE SPECIFICALLY DENOUNCED EFFORTS
OF BRITISH COMMONWEALTH TO PRESS FOR OUTCOME FAVORABLE TO THE UK.
MOLINA SAID BILATERAL TALKS WITH UK WOULD CONTINUE BUT ISSUE HAD NO
PLACE IN OAS. BELIZE WAS NOT A CONONY BUT OCCUPIED TERRITORY BELONGING
TO GUATEMALA.
10. NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS PROPOSED INCLUDING GUATEMALA'S STATEMENT
IN COMMUNIQUE TO BE ISSUED AT CONCLUSION OF INFORMAL DIAGLOGUES.
JAMAICAN INSISTED HIS WORDS BE INCLUDED AS WELL. SESSION ENDED AT
THIS POINT.
11. NEXT SESSION OF INFORMAL DIALOGUES SCHEDULED FOR TEN A.M. JUNE 15.
MCGEE
BT