Emergency summit of UNASUR ends with heated debate

BUENOS AIRES, August 29 (Itar-Tass) -- The emergency summit of the
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) ended in San Carlos de Barlioche,
Argentina, with heated debates over the planned agreement between Bogota
and Washington on deploying US troops at seven military bases in Colombia.
The matter is a source of great concern for many countries of the region.
Colombia's leader Alvaro Uribe was doing his utmost to lift his
counterparts' concerns to promise that Colombia would accept US assistance
exclusively in its struggle against drugs trafficking and terrorism.
Uribe said the agreement with the United States prohibited
interference in the internal affairs of other countries and would by no
means harm any party's interests. Such promises seem to have persuaded
nobody. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, who currently holds the
rotating presidency of UNASUR, warned that no mechanisms were in place at
the moment that would allow for controlling the activity of US military in
Colombia.
Bolivia's leader Evo Morales called for adopting a resolution critical
of foreign military bases in South America and also for deciding the
question of US military's presence in Colombia in a regional referendum.
His idea raised little support, though.
The emergency summit agreed to instruct the South American Defense
Council to devise measures to strengthen confidence and security in the
region. The Council is due to meet in session in the first half of
September.
UNASUR is an association of twelve countries of South America -
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru,
Surinam, Uruguay, Chile and Ecuador.