Joint Statement of the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation and the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Central American Integration System
The Foreign Ministers or their representatives were unanimous in their evaluation of the importance of the ongoing integration processes inside the SICA countries with the purpose of further transforming the Central American region into an area of peace, freedom, democracy, and development.
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation expressed his country’s interest in establishing an efficient and mutually beneficial cooperation with the Central American Integration System, stressing in particular the remarkable success of the SICA member countries in five key areas of regional integration: democratic security, prevention and rectification of the consequences of natural disasters and the effects of the climate change and, social and economic integration, and the strengthening of regional management institutions.
The Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives underscored the important role the Russian Federation plays in promoting the peaceful settlement of conflicts as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and stressed the significance and indispensableness of the United Nations in sustaining peace and international security. It was also emphasised that more should be done to strengthen the central role of the Organisation itself and its Security Council in settling major international issues.
The Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives suggested that the Russian Federation support the Implementation System of the Management, Coordination, and Information Support Mechanism of SICA Regional Integration with the purpose of assisting in establishing its institutional status, and encouraging System participants to apply it.
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation gave the SICA Secretary General an official notification of his country’s intent to start the process of joining SICA as an extra-regional observer in accordance with the existing procedures, and asked him to submit the notification to the SICA member-states for consideration.
The Foreign Ministers or their representatives agreed to promptly sign and start the implementation of the cooperation document between the Russian Federation and the SICA member-states. The document will take into account the five key integration areas, with the goal of promoting joint projects that contribute to the development of the region, in accordance with the abilities of the parties involved and their desires to impart greater dynamism to the interaction within political dialogue based on the norms and principles of international law. In connection to this, the Ministers called to promoting and improving regional cooperation and exchange of experiences. They also urged the render support and professional training in the field of regional security and the struggle with illegal drug trafficking, as well as in other spheres to be determined by the Parties, including encouraging the study and diffusion of Russian language in the SICA member-states and Spanish language in the Russian Federation.
The Parties agreed to assist in arranging meetings between the business circles of the Russian Federation and SICA member-states. They also agreed to foster trade, render support to training programmes in trade, and to identify possible spheres of investment cooperation that would allow for the formation of mutual flows of goods as well as flows of goods aimed at the markets of third world countries.
The Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives extended an invitation to the Russian Federation to join the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) as an extra-regional member that would contribute to the development of the bank’s founding countries and consolidate its presence in the region.
The Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives proposed that the Russian Federation enter the circle of nations cooperating with the region in the field of democratic security by supporting projects envisioned by the Central American Security Strategy in accordance with its principles and course of action.
The Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives reiterated the support of the political will present in the SICA member-states for step-by-step progress in the direction of establishing a customs union. They noted that its practical implementation requires the existence of various measures in accordance with the priorities of each nation. These measures are to form a solid foundation for the development of competitiveness in the region, which offers its citizens economic opportunities, leading to greater social integration, and ensuring intra-regional security.
In light of this, the participants welcomed the progress in this area reached by Honduras and Guatemala in Tela, Honduras on February 26, 2015.
The participants also noted the efforts by Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador aimed at launching the Alliance for Prosperity of the Northern Triangle Nations with the purpose of contributing to the social and economic development of the aforementioned countries.
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation welcomed the SICA countries’ progress in turning the region into an area of peace and stressed, in particular, the progress in the enhancing bilateral relations between Guatemala and Belize.
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation and the Foreign Ministers of the SICA countries or their representatives expressed their satisfaction with the positive results of the meeting and expressed their gratitude to the government and the people of the Republic of Guatemala for their hospitality.
Guatemala, the Republic of Guatemala, March 26, 2015
