What could be discussed at the UNASUR meeting in Argentina
Presidents from 12 South American countries will gather tomorrow in Bariloche, Argentina for a meeting of UNASUR, the Union of South American Nations. The meeting was initially convened earlier this month in order to discuss the pending U.S.-Colombia military base agreement that is worrying many of the continent's leaders, and the topic is still going to be the main point of discussion and perhaps contention. However, the meeting will most likely touch on several other topics that have not received as much recent media attention. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has already announced that if he is to attend the meeting (which has been confirmed), he will bring up issues such as foreign support for the FARC, illicit arms trafficking in the region, and military cooperation agreements between Colombia's neighbors and Russia. Other issues that have received less media attention, especially in the United States, include the current rifts between Peru and Chile over providing Bolivia access to the Pacific Ocean and some leaders' concerns about a potential arms race brewing on the continent. Here is a quick summary of each issue that could be brought up tomorrow in Argentina: U.S.-Colombia base agreement On July 15, Colombia's defense, interior and foreign relations ministers held a press conference to confirm reports that Colombia and the United States were negotiating an agreement that would give the United States authority to use seven military facilities in Colombia. The announcement was immediately followed by protests from many of Colombia's neighbors. Despite attempts by both the U.S. and Colombian governments to reassure the leaders of the region that this agreement will not result in activities outside of Colombia and will not lead to a "significant permanent increase in the U.S. military presence in Colombia," according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, these concerns have not subsided. Last week, Brazilian President Lula da Silva invited President Obama to attend the meeting in Argentina in order to clear up any concerns or misunderstandings about the U.S.-Colombia deal, but Obama declined the invitation. Bolivian President Evo Morales has also called for a continent-wide referendum on the proposed agreement, and announced that he will take his proposal to the UNASUR meeting. Because the meeting in Argentina was convened as a result of this pending agreement, it will definitely hold center stage. Venezuelan weapons found in the hands of the FARC In July, Colombia announced that Swedish-made antitank rockets and launchers sold to the Venezuelan armed forces had been recovered from a FARC camp. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez immediately denied the allegations that his country was providing weapons to the guerrilla group, recalled his Ambassador from Colombia and froze diplomatic relations. Chávez later claimed that the weapons were reported missing from Venezuela's arsenal in 1995, nearly four years before his first presidential term began. The information on the discovered weapons was released soon after Venezuela and other neighboring countries started to voice opposition to the U.S.-Colombia military base agreement, and President Chávez protested that the Colombian government was "trying to blackmail [Venezuela]" and use the information to justify intervention in his country. Peru, Chile and Bolivia's access to the ocean The Peruvian government hopes to bring up its concerns about what it calls an "agreement under the table" between Chile and Bolivia regarding Bolivia's desire for maritime access - a demand to which the Chilean government has responded that it does not need a third country intervening in bilateral relations between the two countries, let alone all of the members of UNASUR. Peruvian President Alan Garcia argues that this is not just a bilateral issue, as the maritime access that could be granted to Bolivia was once Peruvian territory. According to Peruvian Foreign Minister José Antonia García Belaúnde, "any sovereign solution over (the Chilean border town) Arica, must be made by both Peru and Chile, and Peru has not been consulted about this subject." Potential arms race in South America Both Paraguay and Colombia have expressed a desire to discuss a whether or not an arms race is brewing in South America. Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo cites concerns regarding Bolivia's recent agreement with Russia to purchase $100 million worth of weapons and military equipment. And Colombian President Uribe - who himself has greatly increased Colombia's arms purchases - has expressed concerns over "Venezuela's Russian purchases and Brazil's plans to launch a nuclear submarine with France's help and to buy 36 modern fighter jets."