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Contact:
Chris Satney
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 – Saint Lucia is doing its part to assist
the objectives of the Alliance of Civilization as it, this week played host to a
seminar of the charter, co-sponsored by the Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey.
The initiative responds to a broad consensus across nations, cultures and
religions that all societies are interdependent, bound together in their
development and security, and in their environmental, economic and financial
well-being.
The Alliance seeks to forge collective political will and to mobilize concerted
action at the institutional and civil society levels to overcome the prejudice,
perceptions and polarization that militate against such a consensus.
“All major countries share an important measure of common values. We must be
able to build on them and to stop being on the defensive. We have to strengthen
the moderate forces and to help them make a common front against those
extremists who are trying to manipulate the number of very important problems
which still remain unsolved in the Islamic countries and their inter relations
with western countries,” said Rafael Dezcallar who is the Under-Secretary for
Foreign Policy in Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Charter is of the view that only a comprehensive coalition will be able to
avert any further deterioration of relations between societies and nations,
which could threaten international stability.
The participation of even small states in the Caribbean has been viewed as
extremely vital in countering these problems, however Saint Lucia's Prime
Minister Honourable Dr. Kenny Anthony cited some of the region's frustrations in
making this possible.
“How can the Caribbean inform the issues the Alliance shall deal with,
particularly when small countries, such as exist within the region, are
constantly exposed to the unfairness and lack of interest in our well being and
survival. At the political level the voices of small states are really permitted
to influence the debate on changes to the international political order, the
reform of the United Nations or the shaping of relevant principles for
international co-existence, ” Dr. Anthony said.
The Prime Minister went on to say that despite the international political
impediments, the Caribbean too has emerged with one clear distinct voice,
representing a civilized community.
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