3
P
rince
of
A
sturias
A
wards
1981-2014. S
peeches
Laureates. Excerpts
Excerpt from the speech given on the
occasion of receiving the Prince of
Asturias Award for Ibero-American
Cooperation on 16/10/1984.
It is therefore important to reflect on the profound value of peace in our day. To recognize that it is the
heritage of the global community and hence of an indivisible part of the conscience of each nation.
Wherever peace is violated, the sovereignty of countries is in effect infringed upon. Peace is our
historic responsibility. Mexico underlines its hope that the governments of the Central American
area will know how to interpret —with a sense of history— the voice of those who reject the
prospect of brothers fighting against brothers and the murky option of resentment.
The complexity of the situation in Central America has logically necessitated the search for
solutions in accordance with the circumstances. Nothing has remained immovable in our world
or our century. International institutions face problems of efficacy, aggravated by the interests of
those who benefit from conflict. The creation of the Contadora Group was —and continues to be—
a useful, original and committed response aimed at facilitating communication. It does not seek
to supplant the responsibilities that do not correspond to it or impose asymmetric obligations on
anyone. In a changing reality, this diplomatic formula is the unequivocal fruit of our modernity,
of the imperative to fit requirements and possibilities to the different causes within a conciliatory
framework. Our four nations foment the validity of the postulates and foundations on which the
society of states is built.
An act of political imagination and complex diplomatic management, the Contadora Group
proposes —it does not impose— a system of peace and cooperation. The foundations of this
system are legitimate because they bring together the best of contributions from Central America.
However, its viability depends on an inexorable political reality: the fundamental responsibility of
putting into effect and fulfilling a set of imperative norms of coexistence between states belongs to
each Central American government.
Bernardo Sepúlveda
Amor (Mexico), on behalf
of the Contadora Group
—
Contadora Group
—
Prince of Asturias Award
for Ibero-American
Cooperation 1984
