By Prensa Latina,
La Paz : The Bolivian government demanded relations based on mutual respect with the United States, whose ambassador to La Paz Philip Goldberg was declared a persona non-grata for plotting against this country, Los Tiempos newspaper reports Tuesday.
The daily reproduces statements by Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca, from a meeting of Latin American and Caribbean foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro.
“Links with that northern country,” stated the diplomat, “must be revised. They must be no longer be based on dependence, but respect.”
Choquehuanca said that the revision of those relations includes the negotiation of a trade accord already proposed by Bolivia.
He noted that although neither have ambassadors, bilateral links are being led by charges d”affaires from both embassies.
“Relations with the United States have not been broken off. They are currently in force. We want to keep good relations, especially with the US people,” Choquehuanca stated.
The diplomat termed unfair Washington”s underestimation of the Bolivia struggle against drug trafficking, and the aim of US President George W. Bush to suspend the preferential tariffs granted to the Andean country.
According to Choquehuanca, Bolivia is positively fulfilling the struggle against drug trafficking and reduction of traditional coca leaf crops.
The minister stated that the government would carry out a series of joint operations with other countries to fight groups that threaten peace in Bolivia and seek refuge in neighboring nations, alluding to the September 11 farmer massacre in the Amazon region of Pando.