South American Officials
Meet To Discuss Creation
Of Defense Council
The working group for
the proposed Defense
Council of the Union of
South American Nations (UNASUR)
held their second
meeting here on July
22-23, the Chilean
Foreign Affairs Ministry
said in a statement
Thursday.
The meeting came
following Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe's
announcement on July 19
that his country would
join the council.
The incorporation of
Colombia was welcomed by
all participants at the
council's working group
formed of
representatives of the
12UNASUR countries'
defense and foreign
ministries.
The debate on the
principles, objectives,
nature, functions and
structure of the council
began a month ago, when
the working group was
created, in compliance
with a presidential
agreement on May 23in
the Brazilian capital of
Brasilia.
At the working group
meeting, a consensus was
reached to define the
council as a mechanism
of political dialogue
and cooperation to
preserve South America
as a peace zone, and a
base for democratic
stability and the social
and economic development
of the people of the
region, Chile's Foreign
Affairs Ministry said.
Colombia had earlier
refused to approve the
regional defense council
proposal made by Brazil
in May.
President Uribe had said
that the Colombian
government was
experiencing a difficult
time in its fight
against the
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
rebels, and such a
regional defense body
would not offer
solutions to the
country's problems.
The next working group
meeting will take place
on Aug. 25-26 to
continue the formulation
of the founding document
of the council.
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