| Besides the now famous spat between President | | | | efforts in affected areas as well as the creation of a |
| Chavez and King Juan Carlos and the evil empire | | | | rainy day fund for natural disaster relief. |
| bashing of the People's Alternate Summit, what | | | | In terms of economic development the issues were |
| actually happened at the Iberoamerican Summit that | | | | similar to those expressed in other regional forums. |
| took place in Santiago last week? Why did the leaders | | | | The obligatory declarations were made about the |
| of 33 countries go to so much trouble to meet | | | | need to improve infrastructure, combat corruption, |
| together for three days of intensive reunions in Chile? | | | | enact fiscal reform, and overhaul regional tax systems, |
| Leaving aside the drama, the intended theme was | | | | but no concrete measures were approved or even |
| social cohesion. The choice was made by Chile in its | | | | proposed to begin doing this. It was only agreed to call |
| capacity as the host of the summit and is a clear | | | | attention to the issue and lend moral support to those |
| reflection of the priorities of the Bachelet | | | | countries daring enough to take these practical steps |
| administration's emphasis on long-term social planning. | | | | on their own. |
| The concrete fruit of the reunion were eleven | | | | Security and defense were a minor part of the talks, |
| documents; a declaration, a plan of action, and nine | | | | but they were brought up. Two symbolic resolutions |
| special communiqués. The combined focus of | | | | were passed urging the United Kingdom and Argentina |
| these documents can be reduced to five categories; | | | | to come to an agreement over the Falkland/Malvinas |
| human development, economic development, the | | | | Islands dispute and another condemning the US-Cuban |
| environment, defense and security, and political | | | | trade embargo. The group made a symbolic |
| dialogue. | | | | statement rejecting the use of terrorism, as well as the |
| Human development received the most attention, | | | | need to increase cooperation in the field of crime |
| specially emphasizing the role of the region's youth in | | | | reduction and military defense cooperation. |
| long term development. There was a clear enunciation | | | | Perhaps the most important result of the meeting |
| of the challenges of the 21st century and a clarion call | | | | came not in the form of a specific resolution, but |
| made to invest in the future through improved public | | | | through the restatement of core regional values |
| education systems, increased educational exchanges, | | | | emphasizing the need for a human focus in regional |
| gender parity in government, minority inclusion, and | | | | development. The recognition of youth and their role in |
| women's and children's rights. The summit reaffirmed | | | | the success of this movement as well as the need to |
| the region's goal of meeting targets set out by the | | | | focus on long term social solutions like improved |
| millennium challenge by 2015. | | | | education, health care, social welfare, and increased |
| Climate change and environmental management were | | | | spending on research and development, infrastructure, |
| also big issues discussed at the meeting. With the | | | | and interconnectivity were all important parts of the |
| recent flooding in Tabasco and Chiapas as well as the | | | | message that came out of the summit. |
| brutal hurricane season in the Caribbean and Central | | | | By highlighting the ways in which increased cooperation |
| America, the specter of global warming hung like a | | | | can improve the quality of social services and reduce |
| proverbial heavy cloud over the conference. | | | | the combined cost of development, the reunion served |
| Concerned that man made pollution was increasing the | | | | to call attention to regional needs without losing site of |
| severity of these natural disasters, leaders agreed to | | | | the bigger picture. The inclusion of "soft" social issues in |
| promote energy conservation and improve local | | | | debates over political and economic growth ensures |
| environmental laws to help curb pollution. Mexico | | | | that leaders do not forget that the real purpose of |
| proposed the creation of a regional emergency | | | | development is not abstract economic success but the |
| response team with the capacity to coordinate relief | | | | improvement of human lives. |