Havana, 13th December, 1996

The Ministerial Council:

As established in Article IX, sub-paragraphs (a) of the Convention establishing the ACS which requires that the Ministerial Council shall determine the actions and policies of the Association and (f) that requieres that the Ministerial Council shall determine the guidelines for the operation of the Association, and,

The need for Members to give the Association all the support necessary to undertake the many activities scheduled;

The need to maintain a systematic and ongoing exchange of opinions between Members on various topics which fall under the purview of the Association;

The need for Members to maintain proper communication and co-ordination systems with the General Secretariat;

The need for the mandates of the Ministerial Council to be closely monitored; and

The positive results which have arisen out of the practice of Members, since the inception of the Association, to convene technical meetings.

1. To establish the Intersessional Preparatory Meeting of the ACS which will be made up of a Senior Representative of each Member and Associate Member, as well as by the Chairmen of the Special Committees of the ACS.

2. This Preparatory Meeting shall have an Executive Body, which will be formed by representatives of the three countries that constitute the Executive Board of the Ministerial Council.

3. To recommend that the Intersessional Preparatory Meeting take decisions on matters which are not exclusive to the Ministerial Council or to the Heads of State or Governments of the ACS.

4. To assign to the Intersessional Preparatory Meeting, inter alia, the following tasks:

a) To recommend priorities for the many activities outlined in the Work Programme of the Association.

b) To assess on a regular basis the achievement of the objectives outlined in the Work Programme of the ACS and those of the Special Committees.

c) To study proposals for changes to the Work Programme of the Association and those of the Special Committees to be put forward for the consideration of the Ministerial Council.

d) To evaluate the co-ordination and communication systems which exist between the Members and the Secretariat.

e) To evaluate the operation of the General Secretariat.

f) To submit for the consideration of the Ministerial Council proposals related to the proper functioning of the Association.

5. That the Intersessional Preparatory Meeting will take place at least once a year, within six months after the Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council. Each meeting shall be convened and chaired by the representative of the country presiding over the meetings of the Ministerial Council.

6. To instruct the Chairman of the Intersessional Preparatory Meeting to prepare a report on each meeting, to be circulated to Members within 45 days after that Meeting.