Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

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