UNASUR : ALL PRESIDENTS OF SOUTHAMERICA PRESENCE AT THE MEETING IN BARILOCHE ,ARGENTINA
South American presidents meet in Argentina
The leaders of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will participate in a brief summit in the Llao Llao Hotel in Bariloche, with the agenda marked by the conflict unleashed by military agreement between Colombia and the United States.
BARILOCHE, Argentina, Aug. 28-- Leaders of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) will discuss a controversial U.S.-Colombian military agreement during a summit that opened Friday.
The agreement allows U.S. troops to use Colombian military bases for combating terrorism and drug tra
fficking in the area, pitting Bogota against many neighboring countries that fear the arrangement would threaten their national security and heighten regional tensions.
Argentine President Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said during the opening session of the summit that Latin American countries should seek peaceful ways to solve regional disputes.
Unasur countries discussed the U.S.-Colombian m
ilitary agreement during a summit earlier this month but did not issue any statement on it.
Unasur, set up in 2008, groups Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela.
"We are demonstrating our rejection of the politics of rejection that has been carried out by the government of Colombia and advancement of the ominous plan Colombia, which is an instrument in service of the United States and that makes the possibility of finding a solution to drug trafficking even more remote. It will bring thousands of deaths and promotes the infringement of human rights."
PRESIDENT OF BOLIVA, EVO MORALES, SAYING: "The United States has no reason to join the fight against drug trafficking in Bolivia or any other country in South America . It is their obligation [to not interfere] because the origins of drug trafficking came from the United States." PRESIDENT OF PERU ALAN GARCIA PEREZ, SAYING: "I never thought that invisible bombers or military radars would come to Peru ; or a dock to host aircraft carriers. If this were to happen I would feel that I had gone beyond my traditional functions and license to defend Peru and South America [and would be] involving it with an international conflict. This is what alarms us."
PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER, SAYING: "[These] military bases have other objectives because the characteristics of the airplanes, of the runways, [and] the type of deployment refers more to military operations of conventional wars than to the fight against drug trafficking."
PRESIDENT OF CHILE , MICHELLE BACHELET, SAYING: "I think that it is indispensable that we have transparency [when a regional country makes an agreement with another country] and that the states have to have certain explicit guarantees of respect from the beginning not to threaten others, and not to use force, and that their actual actions in terms of agreements with third party countries not carry threats that reach beyond their territory. Because both things are essential."
LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL, SAYING: "[The president of Colombia , Alvaro Uribe] tried to show that the [military] bases have been in Colombia since 1952. I want, in a nice way, to say that if the American bases have been in Colombia since 1952 and the problem still is not solved; I think that we need to rethink what else we can do to resolve this. I think that we could give ourselves the chance, Uribe, [and do it] ourselves."
Protesters angry over a Colombian deal to allow the United States access to seven of their military bases organised their own counter-summit in the Argentine lakeside city of Bariloche on Friday (August 28) to counter a meeting of South American leaders taking place nearby.
Some 500 people participated in the grouping of various unions, political parties, social rights organisations and indigenous representatives.
They were protesting the presence of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in the presidential summit, taking place some 30km [18 miles] away in a secluded and exclusive resort.
"We are demonstrating our rejection of the politics of rejection that has been carried out by the government of Colombia and advancement of the ominous plan Colombia, which is an instrument in service of the United States and that makes the possibility of finding a solution to drug trafficking even more remote.
It will bring thousands of deaths and promotes the infringement of human rights," said Luis Gainini, secretary of an Argentine workers organisation. A letter of protest against the presence of United States soldiers in Latin America was drafted with the intention of delivering it to the 12 regional leaders gathered in Bariloche.
It also called for the reinstatement of ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, who was removed by a military coup in July.
The counter-summit then turned into a march through the streets, some people carrying signs critical of the government of Alvaro Uribe. Colombia has agreed to allow Washington to use seven of its military bases within its borders to help the South American country combat drug trafficking. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina hosted leaders from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in the winter resort town of Bariloche as they try and reach an agreement over the issue.
The decision has led Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to threaten to cut off diplomatic ties and suspend imports from Colombia, saying the agreement is jeopardising its national security. Colombia responded by condemning Caracas for interfering in its internal affairs. The plan is testing efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to improve Washington's relationship with Latin America. Many in the region are wary of U.S. intervention, recalling Washington's backing of right-wing military dictatorships decades ago.
"I never thought that invisible bombers or military radars would come to Peru ; or a dock to host aircraft carriers. If this were to happen I would feel that I had gone beyond my traditional functions and license to defend Peru and South America [and would be] involving it with an international conflict. This is what alarms us," said Peruvian president Alan Garcia.
Argentine president Cristina Fernandez also voiced her concerns about a U.S. military presence in Colombia. "[These] military bases have other objectives because the characteristics of the airplanes, of the runways, [and] the type of deployment refers more to military operations of conventional wars than to the fight against drug trafficking," she said.
Chilean president Michelle Bachelet called for transparency from the Colombian government, saying that "I think that it is indispensable that we have transparency [when a regional country makes an agreement with another country] and that the states have to have certain explicit guarantees of respect from the beginning not to threaten others, and not to use force, and that their actual actions in terms of agreements with third party countries not carry threats that reach beyond their territory. Because both things are essential". Brazilian president Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva questioned the effect that American bases would have on the drug trade. "[The president of Colombia , Alvaro Uribe] tried to show that the [military] bases have been in Colombia since 1952. I want, in a nice way, to say that if the American bases have been in Colombia since 1952 and the problem still is not solved; I think that we need to rethink what else we can do to resolve this. I think that we could give ourselves the chance, Uribe, [and do it] ourselves."
The presidents of Chile and Bolivia held separate, bilateral talks on Friday on the sidelines of the Unasur emergency meeting in Argentina despite complaints from their Peruvian counterpart that they had signed a "secret pact" to allow Bolivia access to the sea.
Chile's Michelle Bachelet and Bolivia's Evo Morales, who have brought their respective countries closer together in recent years after diplomatic relations were broken off in 1978, met briefly on Friday morning before the official activities of the summit got underway. Both governments have denied the existence of a pact between the two on the long-time demand by Bolivia that it be allowed access to the Pacific Ocean. Landlocked Bolivia lost its only sea access during the War of the Pacific with Peru and Chile in the late 19th century, and the issue has long strained ties.
Lula urges a meeting with Obama on bases in Colombia.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva telephoned the U.S. President, Barack Obama, to discuss the agreement that will allow the use of military bases in Colombia by the Americans and asked that Obama meet with the presidents of UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) to clarify the issue, said Celso Amorim, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.
“President Lula reiterated our positions, demonstrating that there are great sensitivities in the region about the agreement, and it is not just a matter of one or another country. It is also a concern of ours due to the proximity of the Amazon region.”
The military agreement between Colombia and the United States has drawn criticism from several countries in South America, mainly from Venezuela and Bolivia.
Brazil calls for “transparency” by Colombia on its military agreement with the United States.
The Foreign Minister of Brazil, Celso Amorim, said in Brasilia that Colombia should be more “transparent” about its military agreement with the United States, which is under negotiation.
“I think personally that if there is concern about the new military agreement between Colombia and the United States, it would be good for Colombia to clearly explain what it is,” said the Brazilian Foreign Minister.
The agreement, which could turn Colombia into the main bastion of American operations in South America, has been criticized especially by the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez.
In a statement broadcast on national television, Chávez ordered the withdrawal of the ambassador and other diplomats from Colombia, and Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Bogota after a complaint by the Colombian government about an alleged diversion of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
According to the Brazilian minister’s assessment, a deeper discussion on the military agreement would help “rebuild trust” between the two countries, “as has already been done on other occasions.”
The minister said he was not able to talk to his colleagues in Venezuela and Colombia, but that in general “Brazil has always worked for reconciliation between the two countries. They are our friends, and both have good relations with Brazil.”
The president of Bolilvia proposes a regional referendum on the military agreement between the U.S. and Colombia.
Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia has proposed the establishment of a regional referendum on the military agreement between Colombia and the United States.
“Let the people and not the empire decide the pros and cons of setting up U.S. military bases in South America,” Morales said during a speech in Coipasa, Bolivia.
According to Morales, the United States “is pursuing a strategy of disintegrating the region,” and wants to create “divisions” among the presidents of the countries of South America.
“At times I think the installation of these bases in South America is a provocation by the U.S. empire to create conflicts among the presidents of the countries of our continent to stop regional integration”.
According to the official news agency ABI (a Spanish acronym for the Bolivian Information Agency), Morales said that he will take the referendum proposal to the meeting of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), in Bariloche, in Argentine Patagonia.
Morales believes that the expansion of the American presence in the region would allow greater interference in the internal decisions of these countries.
Conclusion: It was an important Meeting counting with the presence of Southamerica Leaders, showing in live , a great Debate , in peace, listening to each other with the most controversials topics, but showing and proving the FREE SPEECH , into a DEMOCRATIC enviroment over any differences from the history , ideologies but keeping one ISSUE THE PEACE IN SOUTHAMERICA IS THE PRIORITY .
The document that resumes all the positions and opinions , was approved by 100% of the leaders, and proving the goodwill of working in alliance for the security and development of Southamerica and the Union of the countries .
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