Debate on reforming Latin America's premier human rights body raged late Friday, as a bloc of leftist nations joined to stall US-supported reforms. The special Organization of American States (OAS) meeting was held to finalize a two-year process to reform the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). "For more than five decades, the Commission has served as the hemisphere's moral conscience," US Undersecretary of State William Burns said during the special session. Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman delivered a passionate defense of the Commission.

The United States, Mexico and Chile pledged strong support and additional financial contributions to the region's premier human rights body Friday as they weighed its future. "For more than five decades, the Commission has served as the hemisphere's moral conscience," US Undersecretary of State William Burns said during a special session debating the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Foreign ministers and senior officials from around the Americas began meeting here Friday to decide the future of the region's premier human rights body amid warnings it could be weakened by the outcome. Even before the Organization of American States opened the special session on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Ecuador and Nicaragua expressed skepticism that a compromise could be reached to end a two-year long fight.