[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 4 (Monday, January 31, 1994)]
[Pages 158-159]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting Protocols of the Organization of 
American States

January 26, 1994

To the Senate of the United States:

    With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the ``Protocol of Washington'' adopted 
on December 14, 1992, by the Sixteenth Special Session of the General 
Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) and signed by the 
United States on January 23, 1993, and the ``Protocol of Managua'' 
adopted by the Nineteenth Special Session of the OAS General Assembly on 
June 10, 1993, and signed that day by the United States. I also transmit 
for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State 
with respect to the two Protocols, both of which comprise amendments to 
the Charter of the Organization of American States.
    The Charter amendments of the ``Protocol of Washington;'' (a) 
incorporate a procedure for suspending the right of a Member State to 
participate in OAS policy bodies when its democratically constituted 
government has been overthrown by force; and (b) address the situation 
of extreme poverty in the hemisphere.
    The Charter amendments of the ``Protocol of Managua'' are aimed at 
rendering the delivery of OAS provided technical cooperation more 
effective and thereby giving practical

[[Page 159]]

effect to the Organization's efforts to eliminate extreme poverty. The 
Charter amendments would create a single Inter-American Council for 
Integral Development to replace the existing Inter-American Economic and 
Social Council (CIES) and the Inter-American Council for Education, 
Science and Culture (CIECC).
    Early and favorable action by the Senate on the ``Protocol of 
Washington'' and the ``Protocol of Managua'' would send a strong signal 
to other OAS Member States that the United States is firmly committed to 
strengthening the multilateral and institutional means for protecting 
and promoting democracy in the region and to addressing the problems of 
extreme poverty and integral development.
    I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration 
to the Protocols and give its advice and consent to ratification of the 
Protocols at an early date.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
January 26, 1994.