Lima, October 15 (RHC-Andina) -- The Americas was reaffirmed as a zone of peace by defense leaders from 34 nations attending the XI Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas held in Arequipa city, southern Peru.

The Declaration of Arequipa states that Western Hemisphere countries are fully committed to respect the principles of global peace established in the Charter of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, as well as in the Declaration on Security in the Americas.

The document, signed by defense ministers and representatives from 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere, reaffirms the decision to establish the region as a zone of peace.

It also advocates dialogue and peaceful settlement of differences between nations, subject to international law and in accordance with the principles of the OAS Charter and hemispheric and regional mechanisms.

Defense leaders expressed their satisfaction for the outstanding participation of states in the Hemisphere that contribute to the United Nations humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, as is the case of Peru.

The Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) was created to provide a valuable forum of debate for the countries of the Hemisphere with the purpose of increasing cooperation in the areas of Defense and Security as outlined in the Williamsburg Principles.

Created in 1995, it was designed to provide the Ministers of Defense with a venue to discuss topics such as confidence and security building measures, peace support operations, civil-military relations, and emerging threats such as transnational organized crime and terrorism.