U.S. Welcomes OAS-Led Agreement on Dialogue in Venezuela.-What about the Blast today?

12 April 2003

(Both sides must endorse dialogue teams' work on recall referendum) (370)

The United States welcomes the Organization of American States (OAS) announcement that teams representing the administration of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Venezuela's opposition Democratic Coordinating Committee have reached an agreement that provides a peaceful electoral solution to Venezuela's political crisis, says Philip Reeker, deputy spokesman of the U.S. Department of State.

Both sides must now endorse the work of the dialogue teams in providing for a recall referendum concerning Chavez's continued tenure, Reeker said in a State Department press release issued April 11.

"This agreement brings Venezuelans closer to reaching the constitutional, democratic, peaceful and electoral solution called for in OAS Permanent Council Resolution 833," Reeker said.

Following is the text of the State Department's April 11 press release on the electoral agreement reached in Venezuela and facilitated by the OAS:

(begin text) Department of StatePress Statement Philip T. Reeker, Deputy Spokesman Washington, D.C. April 11, 2003Support for Election Agreement Reached by Organization of American States-led Dialogue in Venezuela

We welcome today's statement by the facilitator of the Organization of American States in Caracas announcing that the government and opposition dialogue teams had reached an agreement that advances an electoral solution to Venezuela's ongoing political crisis. This positive development paves the way for a constitutionally provided recall referendum concerning the President's continued tenure. Both sides pledge not to impede or obstruct implementation of a recall effort.

The Chávez Administration and the opposition's Democratic Coordinating Committee now must expeditiously endorse the dialogue teams hard work.

This agreement brings Venezuelans closer to reaching the constitutional, democratic, peaceful and electoral solution called for in OAS Permanent Council Resolution 833.

We applaud the government's and opposition's dialogue teams for their extraordinary efforts to plot the path forward for Venezuelans to peacefully and democratically build a better tomorrow for themselves.

We commend OAS Secretary General César Gavíria for his tireless facilitation effort, supported by the Carter Center, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

We call on all Venezuelans to support this carefully negotiated agreement and to work assiduously over the coming months to turn this agreement into a reality.

(end text)(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)