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The Council of the OAS: Performance and Potential

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

John C. Dreier
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Extract

The Council occupies a central position in the Organization of American States. The Charter names it as one of the six organs through which the Organization carries out its functions. It is the only body representing all member governments that is continually in session at the seat of the Organization. With some 60 years of consecutive if varied existence, the Council has been constantly subject to the major political influences that have shaped the attitudes of the 21 member governments toward the OAS. The fundamental character of the Council, its authority and its true role in the regional organization are still in a process of evolutionary development.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Inter-American Studies , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , July 1963 , pp. 297 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 1963

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References

1 Prior to 1961, the Inter-American Economic and Social Council also met throughout the year in Washington, but its revised statute, approved in November of that year, provides only for periodic meetings.

2 The Treaty of Rio de Janeiro speaks of the Governing Board of the Pan American Union and the “organ of consultation”. This terminology was changed by the Charter of the OAS, substituting “Council” for “Governing Board” and identifying the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs as the “organ of consultation”.

3 “Report of the Secretary-General on the Results of the Conference;” Washington: Pan American Union in Annals of the Organization of American States, Washington: Pan American Union, 1949, Vol. I, p. 38.

4 Inter-American Juridical Committee, “Opinion on the Scope of the Powers of the Council of the Organization of American States,” Washington: Pan American Union, 1961, pp. 13, 14.

5 “Report of the Secretary-General on the Results of the Conference,” p. 37.

6 Inter-American Juridical Committee “Opinion”, pp. 5, 6.

7 Officially termed the “Special Committee to Study the Formulation of New Measures of Economic Cooperation”.

8 For a report on all cases considered under the Treaty of Rio de Janeiro through 1960, see Aplicaciones del Tratado Interamericaná de Asistencia Reciproca 1948-1960, Washington: Pan American Union, 1960.

9 “On April 28, 1963, the Council again acted provisionally as organ of consul- tation in the conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, following the procedure established in earlier cases. The ultimate outcome of this case was not yet clear at time of writing.

10 Costa Rican-Nicaraguan case of 1955.

11 Except, of course, under the Treaty of Rio de Janeiro which prescribes a twothirds majority for decisions of the Organ of Consultation.

12 Council of the Organization of American States, Third Report by the Subcommittee to the Special Committee to Carry Out the Mandate Received by the Council Pursuant to Resolution I of the Sixth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs: Washington: Pan American Union, Doc. OEA/Ser. G./VII CE/RC. VI-27 Rev.

13 Resolution VIII, Eighth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

14 Resolution VI.

15 Minutes of Special Meetings of the Council, June 4, 1959.

16 Council of the OAS. Resolution adopted on May 24, 1962, Pan American Union, Doc. OEA/Ser. G/V, C-d-992.

17 Francisco Cuevas Cancino, Del Congreso de Panamá a la Conferencia de Caracas 1826-1954 (Caracas: 1955), p. 237 (trans, by author).