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Institutional Arrangements
2015-01-23 18:07

  The Institutional Arrangements and Operating Rules of CELAC-China Forum

  The People's Republic of China and the member States of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC),

  Desiring to formulate the Institutional Arrangements and Operating Rules of the CELAC – China Forum (CCF), in order to achieve better planning for the development of the CCF, and effectively implement in the future the cooperation initiatives and measures in different areas adopted at the Ministerial Meeting of the CCF,

  We have agreed to adopt the Institutional Arrangements and Operating Rules of the CCF, as follows:

  1. The CCF is defined as the platform for intergovernmental cooperation led by the Foreign Ministries of China and the member countries of CELAC, its main mechanisms include the Ministerial Meeting, the Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the "Quartet" of CELAC, and the Meeting of National Coordinators (Senior Officials' Meeting).

  a. The Ministerial Meeting. Ministerial meetings will be held every three years in principle and by turns in China and the Presidency country of CELAC or another member country of CELAC agreed upon by CELAC and China, and ad hoc meetings may be held, when necessary. The Ministerial Meetings are mainly held to discuss ways to improve mutually beneficial cooperation between China and CELAC member countries, at the regional and sub-regional level, and review and adopt outcome documents such as decisions and action plans, all of which will serve as cooperation guidelines for the two sides. The Ministerial Meetings will be held in the official languages of CELAC and in Chinese. All official documents approved by the Ministerial Meeting level will be translated into the official languages of CELAC and Chinese. Working documents will be circulated in Spanish and English.

  b. The Dialogue of Foreign Ministers of China and the "Quartet" of CELAC. The two sides will continue to make good use of this dialogue mechanism, maintain discussions on the affairs of the CCF, as well as international and regional issues of common concern, including through meetings during the UN General Assembly sessions and mutual visits.

  c. The Meeting of National Coordinators (Senior Officials' Meeting). The principal role is to make preparations for the Ministerial Meetings, follow-up the implementation of the outcomes of the Ministerial Meetings, and formulate stage-specific work plans for the CCF, considering their technical and financial feasibility, sustainability and impact, as well as the capacity and capability of member countries of CELAC. In principle, it will be held at least once a year by turns in China and the Presidency country of CELAC, or another CELAC member country agreed upon by CELAC and China. When in the CELAC region, the meeting will be held on the sidelines of the CELAC National Coordinators meeting.

  d. At the appropriate time, the CCF will explore the possibility of incorporating Forums and meetings in specific fields, gradually and subject to the CELAC consensus. The date, venue and agenda of any of these forums will be agreed upon by the two sides in advance. The outcome of the forums will be reported for consideration to the Ministerial Meeting.

  2. Other CELAC member countries may also express willingness to host the meetings on a voluntary basis. The host country will be decided upon through consultation.

  3. The Ministerial Meetings and the Meetings of National Coordinators (Senior Officials' Meeting) will be organized by the host countries in coordination with CELAC´s PTP, which will be responsible for setting the meeting agenda, printing and distributing documents, translating speeches and documents of the meeting, and other technical work. The meetings will be co-chaired by CELAC´s PTP, the host country and China.

  The side hosting the meeting will draft documents for the meeting according to the meeting agenda agreed upon by the two sides, submit the draft documents for review and revision by all member countries of the CCF, and present the final documents to the meeting for discussion and adoption. The PTP, in coordination with the host country, will conduct the negotiation of the referred documents within CELAC.

  4. The Chinese side has established the Chinese Committee of the Follow-up Actions of the CCF, responsible for coordination among the Chinese institutions. The Secretariat of the Chinese Committee is at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

  The Secretariat of the Chinese Committee, the CELAC PTP and CELAC member countries will coordinate to jointly implement the outcomes of the Ministerial Meetings of the CCF.

  CELAC will define the procedures and mechanisms for the presentation of cooperation projects and regional initiatives to China.

  5. On the basis of the Ministerial Meeting of the CCF and at a time agreed upon by both sides, both may discuss holding a Summit Meeting of leaders of China and the member countries of CELAC at a proper time, as the highest form of the overall cooperation between China and Latin America and the Caribbean. Summit meetings will be held in all official CELAC languages and Chinese. All official documents approved by the Summit will be translated into the official languages of CELAC and Chinese. Working documents will be circulated in Spanish and English.

  For the consideration of cooperation projects or multilateral initiatives, understood as projects, which will have systematic impacts in the relationship between Latin America and the Caribbean and China, in the framework of the CELAC-China Forum, the following principles should be met:

  · Correspond to the mutually agreed key areas of cooperation.

  · Contribute to effective regional integration and sustainable cooperation.

  · Be designed so that they have a multiplier effect for the CELAC member States and China.

  · Can be adapted to other member countries that express interest in the project

  · Make optimum use of capacities in the CELAC countries.

  6. The Institutional Arrangements and Operating Rules may be amended at an appropriate time and in light of actual conditions by all the participant countries in the CFF through consensus.

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