LETTER TO THE SECRETARY REGARDING INVITATION TO

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000569 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PRELPLS PARM MASS EAID KJUS KCRM PHUM ASEC UNDP, GT SUBJECT: LETTER TO THE SECRETARY REGARDING INVITATION TO ATTEND REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARMED VIOLENCE ¶1. This is an action request, see para 3. ¶2. We received from the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry a letter addressed to the Secretary that requests U.S. attendance at a regional conference on armed violence and development to be held in Guatemala on April 23-24. The conference, which is being organized by the Guatemalan and Swiss governments and the UNDP, is an outgrowth of the June 2006 Ministerial Summit on Armed Violence and Development held in Geneva and sponsored by the Swiss government and the UNDP. The upcoming regional conference in Guatemala seeks to obtain the endorsement of the Geneva Declaration by as many Latin American countries as possible. Text of the Declaration is available on the internet at: http://www.undp.org/bcpr/newletters/volume 3/news.htm ¶3. The GOG is requesting a senior U.S. foreign affairs official as the leader of a three person delegation. The letter to the Secretary requests a reply with the names of the delegation by March 23. (The letter and an accompanying registration form will be faxed to WHA/CEN.) We request Department guidance on responding to the GOG letter. ¶4. Text of letter to the Secretary: Your Excellency: I am honored to extend an invitation to your Government to participate in the Regional Meeting on Armed Violence and Development, to be held in Guatemala City on the 23rd and 24th of April 2007. This Regional Meeting will be sponsored by the Government of Guatemala and Switzerland and the United States Development Programme (UNDP). The Regional Meeting is based on the efforts to spread among Latin American and Caribbean countries the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence, adopted on June 7, 2006 by representatives of 42 countries. Through this Declaration, those countries acquired the compromise to work both individually and collectively at the national, regional and multilateral level, in order to reduce armed violence under a perspective of development. Please find attached a copy of the aforementioned Declaration. Our hope is that this event will persuade other countries to endorse the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, which has been already signed by Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru. The Regional Meeting aims the issuing of a Declaration containing the commitments of the specific and relevant actions for our countries, which will constitute an Annex to the Geneva Declaration. Enclosed please find the explanatory note and terms of reference of the meeting. A written confirmation of your country,s acceptance to participate would be highly appreciated, no later than 23 of March 2007 (see registration form attached). The administrative and logistical information will be forwarded once we have received confirmation of your country,s participation. (complimentary closing) (signed) Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal-Koenigsberger Derham