Peru Recalls Ambassador
To Bolivia In Protest Of
Morales' Remarks
Peru withdrew its
ambassador to Bolivia
Thursday in protest at
Bolivian President Evo
Morales' remarks against
his Peruvian counterpart
Alan Garcia.
"Obviously, I have
recalled our ambassador
to Bolivia," Peruvian
Foreign Minister Jose
Garcia Belaunde told a
local radio program.
Morales accused this
week some members of the
Andean Community of
Nations (CAN), alluding
to Peru, of ignoring the
unity of the bloc by
negotiating unilateral
free trade agreements
with the United States.
He also said he has seen
President Garcia
overweight, but "not
very anti-imperialist."
The foreign minister
said the excessive
comments made by the
Bolivian president made
it difficult for Peru to
maintain a friendly
diplomatic relationship
with Bolivia, adding
that President Morales
should not interfere
with Peru's internal
affairs.
Garcia Belaunde said
that beyond the
unfortunate remarks, he
is concerned by the main
arguments of Morales to
oppose the association
agreements signed by the
countries, saying these
include public services
and water privatization.
"Perhaps he might not
have had enough time to
read the FTA between
Peru and the United
States or any other FTA,
and he has believed in a
lie that someone else
told him," added Garcia
Belaunde.
The CAN, founded in May
1969, is a trade bloc
now comprising the South
American countries of
Bolivia, Colombia,
Ecuador and Peru.
Venezuela announced its
withdrawal from the bloc
in 2006 after Colombia
and Peru signed Free
Trade Agreements (FTAs)
with the United States.
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