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SECOND ISSUE MEETING WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF HEMISPHERIC CIVIL SOCIETY 23 September Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Santiago, September 2003 The Second Issue Meeting with the Participation of Civil Society of the Hemisphere of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) will take place in the city of Santiago, Chile, on September 23, 2003. This manual compiles basic information for participants on the logistical aspects of these meetings, as well as on tourist attractions, hotels, and restaurants in Santiago, Chile. This manual was drafted by the Government of Chile, in collaboration with the General FTAA Department of Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the FTAA Administrative Secretariat. Chile lies between the Andean mountain range and the Pacific Ocean on a strip of land that at its broadest point is only 350 kilometers wide. From its northern border with Peru and Bolivia, the country stretches 4,329 kilometers south to the territories of the Antarctic. Chile’s geography is marked by contrasts and diversity. The climate in the North has endowed Chile with the driest desert in the world, the Atacama, while in the central and southern parts of the country, fertile green valleys abound and provide both the local population and international markets with fruit and vegetables. The fact that the country is over 4,000 kilometers long from top to bottom means that it has a wide range of climates, from the aridity of the North to the torrential rains of the South. According to official definitions, however, there are three kinds of climate to be found in Chile: arid, temperate, and cold. The current population of Chile is 15,116,435 people. Of these, 7,447,695 are men, and 7,668,740 are women. Between 1992 and 2002, when the last census was performed, the population had grown at an average annual rate of 1.2%. As far as government structure is concerned, Chile is a democratic republic. There is a clear separation of State powers, and the three branches operate independently of one another. The executive branch is headed by the President of the Republic, who also holds the post of Head of State. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court, and consists of the Appeals Court and the Courts of First Instance. The legislative branch has two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The former consists of 120 deputies representing the 13 regions that make up the country, while the upper chamber consists of 49 senators. Chile’s official currency is the Chilean peso. The current exchange rate is approximately 700 pesos per USD. The country’s official language is Spanish, although some indigenous groups in the North and South of the country still speak their native tongues. Around 80% of the population is Catholic, but there is a separation of Church and State, and all religions are respected. As a participant country in the FTAA process, it is an honor for Chile to host this event and show the participating countries its traditional hospitality. TABLE OF CONTENTS
FTAA - COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY II ISSUE MEETING WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF HEMISPHERIC CIVIL SOCIETY Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Building Santiago, 23 September 2003
INAUGURATION AND PRESENTATION: THE FTAA TODAY AND CIVIL SOCIETY - Chair of the Committee of Government Representatives on the
Participation of Civil Society, Mr. Luis Fernando Peredo NEGOTIATIONS ON SERVICES IN THE FTAA: What is it all about? Chair, Negotiating Group on Services SPECIFIC ISSUES RELATED TO SERVICES Telecommunications Professional Services Cultural Industries Other topics of interest to civil society PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE FTAA ROUNDTABLE (moderated by: Chair, Committee of Government Representatives on the Participation of Civil Society) National experiences in consultations with civil society for services negotiations. Successful experiences and participation of civil society in the future FTAA Agreement. How to strengthen and increase the transparency of the process to build the FTAA. CLOSING REMARKS HEADQUARTERS AND MEETING VENUE The meeting will be held in the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Building, Raúl Prebisch Room, First Floor. Address: Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago
de Chile Note: ECLAC, which is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. It was founded for the purposes of contributing to the economic development of Latin America, coordinating actions directed towards this end, and reinforcing economic relationships among the countries and with the other nations of the world. The promotion of the region's social development was later included among its primary objectives. In June 1951 the Commission established the ECLAC subregional headquarters in Mexico City, which serves the needs of the Central American subregion, and in December 1966, the ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean was founded in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, ECLAC maintains country offices in Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo and Bogotá, as well as a liaison office in Washington, D.C. About ECLAC The Secretariat of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, provides substantive secretariat services and documentation for the Commission and its subsidiary bodies; undertakes studies and research; and promotes economic and social development through regional and subregional cooperation and integration. It also gathers, organizes, interprets and disseminates information and data relating to the economic and social development of the region; provides advisory services to Governments at their request, and plans, organizes and executes programmes of technical cooperation. To the same end, ECLAC formulates and promotes development cooperation activities and projects of regional and subregional scope commensurate with the needs and priorities of the region; and organizes conferences and intergovernmental and expert group meetings and sponsors training workshops, symposia and seminars. ECLAC assists in bringing a regional perspective to global problems, and therefore coordinates its activities with those of the major departments and offices at United Nations Headquarters, specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations with a view to avoiding duplication and ensuring complementarity in the exchange of information. ACCREDITATION AND ACCESS The accreditation form are provided in the "Form" section of this document; for the Thematic Issue Meeting. Accreditation will take place on the day of the Thematic Issue Meeting (September 23), in the lobby of the Raúl Prebisch Room (ECLAC Building, First Floor) beginning at 8:00 a.m. All delegates attending the Second Issue Meeting with the Participation of Civil Society of the Hemisphere must complete the respective accreditation form attached hereto and send it to the FTAA Department, Directorate of International Economic Relations, at dptoalcaan@direcon.cl, with a copy to the FTAA Administrative Secretariat at conference@ftaa-alca.com or the following fax: (52 222) 309-0320, before 12 September 2003. For reasons of security, delegates must wear their credentials in plain sight when entering the meeting rooms and participating in official activities during the Second Issue Meeting with the Participation of Civil Society of the Hemisphere. IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES VISA REQUIREMENTS a) Foreign nationals bearing diplomatic or ordinary passports from the following countries will be allowed entry and permanence in Chile for a ninety-day period with no visa requirement: Antigua and Barbuda b) Foreign nationals bearing diplomatic or ordinary passports from the following countries must request a visa from their nearest Chilean Consulate: Dominica VACCINATIONS AND HEALTH DECLARATION FOR TRAVELERS No vaccinations or health certificates are required in order for foreigners to enter Chile. However, delegates from the following countries who wish to visit Easter Island are required to present an international yellow fever vaccination certificate at the Mataveri Airport on Easter Island: Brazil (States of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso del Sur, Pará, Rondonia, Roraima, Tocantis, Minas Gerais, Paraná and São Paulo) Bolivia (Departments of Beni, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, and the subtropical zone of the Department of La Paz) Colombia (Central Valley of Río Magdalena, the eastern and western areas of the Eastern Cordillera on the border from Ecuador to Venezuela, Urabá, the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, eastern plains or eastern prairies (Orinoco) and Amazonía) Panama (Chepo, Darién and San Blas) Peru (Peruvian jungle area: River basins in the Departments of San Martín, Junín, Huánaco, Pasco, Ucayali, Madre de Dios, Selva Alta de Puno, Cusco, Cajamarca, Amazonas, and Iquitos) Venezuela (Wooded areas in the states of Miranda, Yaracuy, Falcon, Zulia, and Táchira) Ecuador (Areas bordering yellow fever-endemic zones in Peru and Colombia, and the States of Sucumbios and Morona Santiago) Guyana Suriname French Guyana TRANSPORTATION
GROUND TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORT The “Comodoro Arturo Benítez” International Airport is located 20 km west of the city. Minibuses, buses, and taxis provide ground transportation to and from the airport. Roundtrip bus or shuttle fares run approximately USD 12. Taxicab fares fluctuate between USD 15 and USD 20. TransVip Transfer Delfos
Participants wishing to rent a car in Santiago may contact any of the following car rental companies: Avis Chile Dollar Rent a Car Web: www.dollarchile.cl United Rent a Car Web: www.united-chile.com Costanera Rent a Car Web: www.costanerarent.cl
AIRLINE INFORMATION Aerolíneas Argentinas Aeroméxico American Airlines Copa Delta Air Lines Lanchile Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano S.A. Pluna Taca Varig GENERAL INFORMATION CHILE: WHERE NATURE MOVES YOU Few countries in the world have the variety of landscapes and climates found in Chile. Extensive coastlines, lakes, volcanoes, glaciers, valleys, native forests, and deserts shape the scenery throughout this land of contrasts. Chile is a land of extremes: the Atacama Desert in the north, and vast expanses of millennial ice in the south. The Andes Range and the Pacific Ocean cradle myriad valleys and vineyards in the central area, and extensive native forests in the south. To discover Chile, its ancestral cultures, natural wealth, and wildlife areas, is a unique and unforgettable adventure. Chile's geography has shaped its history. The ways of life of its first inhabitants evolved in keeping with their local climate. Thus, each region has its very own legends, traditions, cuisine, arts and crafts, and products. The diversity of the Chilean landscape makes for a land that serves up nature in a host of varied settings, offering tourists with special interests a cornucopia of adventure-filled activities: mountain-climbing, horseback riding, skiing the Andes, archeological explorations in the Atacama Desert, admiring flora and fauna throughout the country, scuba diving and swimming in the Pacific, tours through the magnificent wine valleys, rafting and kayaking in rivers and fjords, sailing among icebergs, or tours to ancient ritual sites on Easter Island, are just some of the many activities available to tourists in Chile. The city of Santiago, Chile’s capital, is an emerging, dynamic metropolis that boasts gorgeous, modern residential neighborhoods, an historic downtown area, a bohemian quarter, and one of the most important museums of pre-Columbian art in all of Latin America. Santiago is a friendly, cozy city, nestled among the imposing Andes range, the Pacific coastline, and a beautiful countryside, all within easy grasp. The city was founded on 12 February 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador, at the foot of the Santa Lucía Hill. The city was originally planned in a checkerboard or chessboard fashion, with Arms Square at the center. Today, the Avenida del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins cuts across the entire city, although its name changes to Avenida Providencia, Avenida Apoquindo, and Avenida Las Condes as it moves eastward. The Americo Vespucio Beltway surrounds the city and provides access to Santiago from all directions. Santiago is both the capital of the metropolitan area and the country’s administrative, political, and cultural center. It is 520 meters above sea level and its Mediterranean-style climate ranges in temperature from an average of 14°C, to a low of 7.5°C in July and a high of 22°C in January. Ski centers are only 50 km from the city (skiing season runs from May to September). In the spring (October and November), Chileans take to the outdoors to attend different fairs and expositions, while in the summer (January and February), outdoor theater presentations have become a tradition. Currency: The national currency is the Chilean peso, freely exchanged in banks and currency exchange offices, where no special identification document is required. Approximate exchange rate: USD 1 = CLP 700. Business hours: Currency exchange offices: Monday-Friday, 9:00-18:00;
Saturday, 9:00-14:00. Communications: To call Chile from abroad, the country code is 56; Santiago’s city code is 2. To call from the interior or from region to region, several telephone carriers offer different rates, according to the time of day, so please inquire before making any calls. Electricity supply: 220 volts alternate HOTELS * In accordance with the domestic laws in force, non-resident foreigners in Chile who pay with dollars, travelers’ checks, or international credit cards are exempted from payment of the 18% local tax on personal expenses.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS Fire Department: 132 HOSPITALS Hospital Clínico de la Universidad Católica de Chile Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile Clínica Santa María Clínica Alemana TOURIST INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF SANTIAGO AND SURROUNDINGS POINTS OF INTEREST
For further tourist information, please consult the Government of Chile’s National Tourism Service website: http://www.sernatur.cl> RESTAURANTS
SHOPPING CENTERS Santiago’s main shopping centers are: Parque Arauco Shopping Center. Plaza Artesanos de Manquehue Centro Comercial La Dehesa Shopping
FORM ALCA - COMITÉ DE REPRESENTANTES GUBERNAMENTALES SOBRE LA PARTICIPACIÓN DE LA SOCIEDAD CIVIL / FTAA - COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY IIª Reunión Temática con la participación de la Sociedad Civil Hemisférica Second Issue Meeting with the Participation of Hemispheric Civil Society FORMULARIO DE ACREDITACION / ACCREDITATION FORM Edificio de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe, CEPAL / Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Building Santiago, Chile 23 de septiembre de 2003 / September 23, 2003
Favor de llenar el presente formulario y remitirlo al Departamento ALCA de la Dirección General de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales al correo electrónico dptoalcaan@direcon.cl con copia a la Secretaría Administrativa del ALCA: al correo electrónico conference@ftaa-alca.com o al siguiente número de fax: (52 222) 309-0320 / Kindly complete this form and forward it to the FTAA Department, Directorate of International Economic Relations by email to dptoalcaan@direcon.cl, with copy to the FTAA Administrative Secretariat via email: mailto:conference@ftaa-alca.com, or via fax: (52 222) 309-0320
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