DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON OAS CICTE VI

UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 000267

SIPDIS

WHA/OAS
WHA/AND
WHA/BSC
WHA/PPC
S/CT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER GY OAS
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON OAS CICTE VI
PREPARATION

REF: STATE 31112


1. PolOff delivered demarche March 20 per reftel to
Audrey Waddell, Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Director of
Americas and Asia Department. Waddell will be Guyana's
head of delegation to the OAS Inter-American Committee
Against Terrorism (CICTE) sixth regular session in
Bogota. No one else from the GoG will attend. Although
Guyana's involvement in CICTE has been limited to date,
the GoG hopes Waddell's assistance will demonstrate its
strong interest and commitment to CICTE. As with most
multi-lateral intiatives, Guyana's ability to participate
constructively in CICTE is severely hampered by resource
constraints. She was unfamiliar with the specifics of
the Declaration, but was encouraged that it draws on
language already adopted in UN and OAS resolutions. She
said the GoG agrees that there is a connection between
terrorism and illicit transnational activity.


2. Waddell said that ratification of the Inter-American
Convention Against Terrorism is now before the GoG
cabinet. She said that there is some GoG hesitation
about the Convention because so few CARICOM states have
ratified it. Waddell said that the GoG wants to
determine if this delay is because other CARICOM states
have substantive concerns about the Convention.

THOMAS