by Alejandra
del Palacio
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Presidents from the member countries of
the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) discussed on Friday the
U.S.-Colombia military cooperation agreement, which has arose concerns among
most of South American nations.
During
the Unasur Extraordinary Summit in Bariloche, Argentina,Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe made efforts to justify the agreement, but much in vain.
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Argentine President Cristina Fernandez
(R, front) addresses a summit of the Union of South American Nations
(Unasur) on a controversial U.S.-Colombian military agreement in
Bariloche, Argentina, Aug. 28, 2009. (Xinhua/Carlos Alvear)
Photo Gallery>>> |
CONTROVERSIAL AGREEMENT
According to the Colombian and the U.S. governments, the agreement, which
allows the presence of 800 U.S. soldiers and 600 civilian contractors from the
Pentagon or U.S. security organizations for 10 years at Colombian bases, is
aimed at combating drug trafficking and terrorism in South America.
It also gives the United States the access to at least seven Colombian
military bases (two aerial and five ground) and in return, Washington would
offer Bogota some 5 billion U.S. dollars in aid.
At the Unasur Summit, Uribe said the agreement does not threaten other
Latin American countries. He said relevant provisions in the agreement have made
it clear that the U.S. military cannot use Colombian bases to interfere in other
countries' internal affairs or undermine their territorial integrity.
However, the agreement seems to make no clear reference to the situation in
the rest of the region. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa proposed that the
Unasur hold a meeting with U.S. PresidentBarack Obama to clarify the
controversial agreement.
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Colombian President Alvaro Uribe (3rd L)
attends a summit of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) on a
controversial U.S.-Colombian military agreement in Bariloche, Argentina,
Aug. 28, 2009. (Xinhua/Carlos Alvear)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Venezuela, which borders Colombia to the north, is the most vehement
opponent of the plan. Its president Hugo Chavez on Tuesday instructed the
Foreign Ministry to get prepared to sever ties with Bogota.
Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez said his country shares the need of
keeping South America "as a land of peace."
Vazquez said it is necessary "to combat terrorism and drug trafficking,
which are jeopardizing the life quality of the people in the region." However,
Uruguay defends the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal
affairs.
Bolivian President Evo Morales proposed that South Americans vote in a
continent-wide referendum on the issue. Others, including Ecuador, Argentina and
Brazil, supported the Unasur to intervene in the case.
Brazil also has demanded that the bases not be used to carry out military
raids against any other countries.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said "what we agree (here) is a
uniform doctrine" for the region, and "if someone else comes up with the
decision of establishing (foreign) bases, we cannot have a different criteria."
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Leaders and other representatives of the
Union of South American Nations (Unasur) attend a summit on a
controversial U.S.-Colombian military agreement in Bariloche, Argentina,
Aug. 28, 2009. (Xinhua/Carlos Alvear)
Photo Gallery>>> |
¡¡ COLOMBIAN DEFENSE
The Colombian government has launched a series of attempts to defend the
controversial military agreement with the United States.
In early August, Uribe made a one-week tour around the region to explain
the agreement to his counterparts. At an Aug. 10 Unasur meeting held in Quito,
Ecuador, where Uribe was absent, the presidents agreed to hold the Bariloche
extraordinary summit for the explanation of and discussion about the agreement.
The agreement with the United States "is ruled by the Colombian sovereignty
principle and the territorial integrity of the states," Uribe said at the
extraordinary summit.
The president argued that his country intends to seek support from other
countries to fight the anti-government guerilla of the Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Due to the internal armed conflict, which has lasted some 40 years, "many
generations of Colombians have not lived a single day of peace," Uribe said.
Colombia and the United States accused the FARC of drug trafficking.
Uribe criticized some countries in the region for not condemning the FARC
as a terrorist group, which they regarded only as "insurgents."
He also regretted that some countries did not share the demand for rich countries to aid the fight against drug trafficking.
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