OAS offers condolences and support to Japan

The Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, expressed dismay and offered his condolences and those of the Organisation to the people and government of Japan following yesterday’s devastating earthquake that took a tragic toll on human lives and material damage.  “I am dismayed by the violence of the earthquake and the brutality of the tsunami, and by their terrible consequences, the scope of which will unfortunately become known only in the next hours and days,” Secretary General Insulza said.

“Our hearts are with the government and people of Japan, whom we know to be a fighting people that will seek to overcome this new blow of nature though it may cause an immeasurable human loss.”  The OAS Secretary General expressed concern about the effect this phenomenon will have in various countries of the region that have coastlines along the Pacific Ocean, and asked for calm and trust in the emergency measures adopted by the authorities.  The head of the hemispheric organisation asserted that the OAS is making itself available to the Japanese authorities to help in whatever ways possible, be it directly or as a go-between with its member states. “Unfortunately, we in the Americas know too well the desolation and devastation that an event like this causes, as it happened a little more than a year ago in Haiti and Chile, and we also know how useful, how positive and comforting is the support that comes from abroad.”