Guatemala Ballenas: Carta a Ministro de RR EE de Guatemala en Japon, de Greenpeace Japon.

[Milko Schvartzman <mmschvar@dialb.greenpeace.org>]

Estimados todos,

Como algunos de Ustedes saben, el Gobierno del Japon esta
extorsionando a los paises de Guatemala, Honduras, y El Salvador, 
para que estos ingresen a la Comision Ballenera Internacional y 
apoyen la caza de ballenas, a cambio de "ayudas" economicas, y 
mediante la "simpatia" de algunos funcionarios locales.

Esta "compra de votos" ha sido denunciada en el "Informe Global de
Corrupcion 2004" de la organizacion Transparency International, 
ademas de ser admitida por funcionarios de los paises implicados y el 
mismo Japon.

Asi es que al Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Guatemala, en su
reciente visita al Japon, le fue propuesto que Guatemala promueva la
caza de ballenas (ver mas abajo la noticia).

Por este motivo, la sede de Greenpeace en Japon le presento al
Ministro Jorge Abularach una carta con las razones para no promover 
la caza de ballenas y desarrollar el potencial turistico del turismo 
de avistaje de cetaceos en Guatemala. Copia de la carta va adjunta.

por mas informacion sobre este tema, no duden en escribirme.

Atentamente.

Milko Schvartzman




Japanese Foreign
Affairs website:

Visit to Japan of Mr. Jorge Briz Abularach, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Guatemala February 15, 2006

1.. Mr. Jorge Briz Abularach, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Guatemala, will visit Japan from February 21 (Tue) to 26 (Sun) as
Guest of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 2.. During his stay in
Japan, Mr. Briz will have talks with Mr. Taro Aso, Minister for
Foreign Affairs, and exchange views with government-related
organizations. 3.. Japan has had traditionally good relations with
Guatemala and as a main donor country, has assisted the promotion of
the peace process, the consolidation of democracy and economic
development in Guatemala. It is expected that cooperative relations
between the two countries will be further deepened by the forthcoming
visit to Japan by Minister Briz. 4.. The year 2005 marked the 70th
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between 
Japan
and the five Central American countries including Guatemala and
various commemorative events were carried out in "Japan-Central
America Year 2005." On the occasion of the Japan-Central America
Summit Meeting in August 2005*, the Tokyo Declaration and the Action
Plan were adopted, which outline medium and long-term policy for
relations between Japan and Central America.

________________

* Supporting Japan at the IWC was one of the items raised at this
Summit Meeting - don't know if you saw the press release from it.

The seven countries at the Summit meeting were Costa Rica, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. A
statement issued at the end of the Summit states, among many other
points: "Japan and the Central American countries should not limit 
the
cooperation among themselves. We should further cooperate in the
international community. Japan and the Central American countries 
must
and can cooperate in dealing with the global issues, such as the
United Nations (UN) reform, World Trade Organization (WTO),
International Whaling Commission (IWC) and the environment.
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/koizumispeech/2005/08/18press_e.html