721 



an Inter-American specialized organization, to continue to enjoy the 

 fullest autonomy and to respond to the recommendations of the OAS 

 Council. ^°^ This action by the OAS left hanging an earlier (1949) 

 "first step-' integration agreement between PA HO and WHO and the 

 issue has not been revived.^^°. 



A few months after the Internatioual Health Conference of 1946 

 had made provision for integration of PAHO with WHO (Article 

 54) , the Directing Council of PAHO adopted a resolution deliberately 

 designed to prevent such integration from : 



* * * affecting the identity of tlie Bureau, lessening its 

 administrativ^e autonomy, limiting its economic independence, 

 disturbing its essential develoi)nient and detracting from its 

 character as a continental, coordinated health organization of 

 the people of the Americas.^^^ 



The Directing Council of PAHO went e\ en further and " * * * 

 advised the American States in ratifying the World Health Orga- 

 nization Constitution, to make a reservation that w^ould recognize the 

 supremacy of the Pan American Haalth Organization over the Con- 

 stitution of the World Health Organization." ^^- 



The obstacle to full integi'ation was made essentially insurmount- 

 able in a charter adapted by OAS in June, 1948. Article 100 of that 

 charter was apparently aimed directly at the 1946 AVHO Constitution. 

 That article states : 



The specialized organizations shall establish cooiDerative 

 relations with world agencies of the same character in order 

 to coordiuute their activities. In concluding agreements with 

 international agencies of a worldwide character, the Inter- 

 American specialized organizations shall preserve their iden- 

 tity and their status as integral parts of the Organization of 

 American States, even when they perform regional functions 

 of international agencies.-" 



AVhatever it was that PAHO or OAS had in 1946 that it Avished 

 to ])rotect from full integration with WHO is not evident. The situa- 

 tion and the outcome are not altogether unlike those of the final devel- 

 opments concerning the "Paris Office" and the Health Organization 

 of the League — ^the coexistence of two international organizations, one 

 regional and the other universal, with the regional organization ful- 

 filling obligations to two different international agreements and with 

 overlapping regional interests. 



This latter specific problem in PAHO was solved by providing that 

 all meetings of the Directing Council or of the Pan American Sani- 

 tary Conference would be at the same time meetings of the Regional 

 Committee of the World Health Organization, except when constitu- 

 tional or juridical matters were under consideration. Accordingly, 

 representatives of tlie European States with territorial interests in tlie 

 Americas have attended PAHO meetings with full voting rights since 

 1951."* 



"*' Calderwoofl. "The World Heullli Orjianii^ation aiul Its Regional Organizations," op cit., 

 jiMfre 24. 



""Ibicl.. page 25. 

 1" Ibifl., page 23. 

 "- Ibid., page 23. 

 ""Ibid., page 23. 

 "' Ibid.. pa.£rps 24 5. 



