RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia will soon seek full membership of the South American Common Market (Mercosur), the top diplomat of the Andes nation announced on Monday.

    Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said that President Evo Morales will within days submit the formal application to both the Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations (CAN).

    "We want to be full members and in the next few days, possibly today, the president will make [the request] reach all Mercosur's presidents, as well as those of CAN," Choquehuanca told local media.

    Choquehuanca and five other Bolivian ministers were on a visit to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, where they held talks with Brazilian officials on bilateral and regional issues.

    Brazilian Chancellor Celso Amorim said after discussions with Choquehuanca that he welcomes the request by President Morales.

    The bloc, currently composed of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, will be able to confirm Bolivia as a full member on Jan. 18, 2007, when the presidents of the member states are scheduled to gather in Rio de Janeiro.

    Choquehuanca stressed that the accession of Bolivia to Mercosurdoes not means it will leave CAN, which also includes Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

    Amorim said that shall not represent an obstacle for the country to join Mercosur, as CAN is no longer a customs union in practical terms.