What happened at the OAS meeting

[struggle4progress]

... The Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS, Jorge Hevia, suggested that the content of the document was adopted in advance no matter the explanations offered during the morning session by ambassadors affected. "This seems to have been a theater," said Hevia. "The text contains inaccuracies regarding cancellation and delay of flight authorizations when the Spanish Government never did such things," he pointed.
His Italian counterpart, Sebastiano Fulci, in the same firm direct tone he had adopted in his speech that morning, to the surprise of a number of delegates, warned the OAS decision will have consequences. "Because the resolution asks us to apologize, the OAS has behaved like a court judging guilty us in advance. This is quite serious, and my government will respond," he said ...
La OEA pide a los países involucrados en el vuelo de Morales que se disculpen
EVA SAIZ Washington 10 JUL 2013 - 03:55 CET
http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2013/07/10/actualidad/1373420135_403012.html


... "At no time did we impede the President's trip, nor at any time did any of our acts endanger the President's life," said Hevia ... "Spain regrets that the performance of our delegation in Vienna has been misunderstood and has offended His Excellency, the President of Bolivia, and if so, we apologize about that," he said. "We are aware that some may have misunderstood our intentions, but we've heard disproportionate criticism” ... He said that Spain "did not violate any international treaty or convention" nor "delay nor deny nor cancel any overflight permission” ... "It is not Italy who should apologize to Bolivia, but exactly the opposite," <Ambassador of Italy to the OAS, Sebastiano Fulci> said. "Contact with Italy took place after landing, not before, so what is written in the resolution is not right" ...
España le asegura a la OEA que "en ningún momento" entorpeció el viaje de Morales
EFE - Washington
09/07/2013 - 19:56h
http://www.eldiario.es/internacional/Espana-OEA-momento-entorpecio-Morales_0_151885544.html

... The first speaker was the representative of Italy, Sebastiano Fulci, who said his government did not cancel the airspace overflight permission and that the cancellation was routine once the presidential aircraft changed course and landed in Austria. "I regret the unjust criticism and false accusations" ... he said ... "Minister Romero, it is not that Italy should apologize to Bolivia, but the other way around for these unfounded allegations" ... The representative of Portugal to the OAS Bartoreu Rosa said his country did not violate any international standard and he "regretted the inconvenience suffered by the President" ... The Observer of France in the body, Pierre-Henri Guignard, said the withdrawal of the authorization of overflight was a mistake and that when France was informed that it was the <President’s plane>, they reacted by renewing the permit. Romero responded that it is not possible to mistake airplanes ...
Denuncia de Bolivia desata tensión en el seno de la OEA
La Razón Digital / Carlos Corz / La Paz
09:05 / 10 de julio de 2013
http://www.la-razon.com/nacional/Denuncia-Bolivia-desata-tension-OEA_0_1867013317.html

The text of the resolution CP/RES. 1017 (1927/13) is available here: http://www.oas.org/consejo/resolutions/res1017.asp

The US statement occurs as footnote 2: The relevant facts regarding the incident at issue are unclear and subject to conflicting reports. It is therefore inappropriate for this organization to make statements regarding them at this time. In addition, the question of granting or canceling of overflight or landing permits is a bilateral matter between Bolivia and the countries concerned. It is unhelpful and inappropriate for the OAS to attempt to intervene at this moment

Of course, if Mr Morales has evidence that the US orchestrated some grounding of his flight, then that might be an appropriate issue to bring to the OAS for resolution. But it seems rather curious that this claim, which appears to underlie Mr Morales interpretation of events, was not made explicitly

[Recursion]

1. Come on... Morales would never make up a baseless accusation

... against the US to play to his domestic constituencies.