美洲国家组织是美国推动建立的西半球最重要的地区组织。作为美国对拉美最重要的多边政策工具,美洲国家组织的作用和影响力与美国对外战略、在国际体系中的实力地位以及对拉美国家的控制力紧密相连。自1948年成立至20世纪60年代,美国在该组织中处于绝对的领导地位。60年代末以后,随着美国实力地位的衰落、对外政策的调整以及拉美和加勒比国家(以下简称“拉美”)独立自主外交的发展,美洲国家组织的发展逐渐陷入低潮。冷战结束后,在全球化及美国的大力推动下,美洲国家组织再次恢复活力。但进入21世纪后,随着美国影响力的衰落、拉美左派的崛起,美洲国家组织的影响力再次回落。尽管美洲国家组织内部的分歧扩大,同时面临本地区次区域组织的挑战,其前景并不乐观,但由于它具备较为完善的组织机制以及在地区治理的低政治领域中有不可替代的作用,美国和拉美都将继续维持它的存在。
<<The Organization of American States(OAS)is the most important regional organization,founded and dominated by the US. As the most important multilateral policy tool of the US towards Latin America,the OAS’s roles and influences in the Western Hemisphere system are closely related to the US’s foreign strategies,its position of strength in international system and its dominant power in Latin America. Since its founding in 1948 to the 1960s,the US played an overwhelmingly dominant role in the organization. However,in the late 1960s,with the power of the US declined,its adjustment to foreign policies,and more independent foreign policies formed in Latin American countries,the OAS stepped into its low tide period since then. After the Cold War,pushed by globalization and adjustment of US foreign policy,the OAS was revitalized. But in the 21st century,the OAS again went downhill with the decline in the US’s power and rise of Latin American left wings. Due to more and more internal divergences and challenges from emerging sub-regional organizations,the OAS has a dim future,but it still plays irreplaceable roles in regional governance of low politics. Therefore,the US and Latin America countries will continue to keep it forward.
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