OAS Supports Dialogue To
Resolve Bolivian Crisis
BUENOS AIRES - The
Organization of American
States (OAS) on Sunday
reiterated its support
for settling the
Bolivian political
crisis through dialogue,
said reports from
Santiago, the Chilean
capital.
The political tension in
Bolivia, if allowed to
continue, will only lead
to a no-win situation,
OAS Secretary General
Jose MiguelInsulza told
Chilean media Sunday.
Dialogue is the only way
to stabilize the
situation, said Insulza,
who had been in Bolivia
to help mediate in the
country's unrest.
Both the government of
President Evo Morales
and the opposition
groups have currently
engaged in dialogue and
negotiation in good
faith, said Insulza,
adding he was optimistic
that the talks could
yield substantial
results.
Insulza said the OAS and
all the south American
governments supported
the ongoing dialogue,
through which, they
wished, an agreement
could be reached.
Morales started dialogue
on Thursday with
opposition provincial
governors in a bid to
end the recent political
crisis which has plunged
Bolivia into turmoil and
left at least 30 people
dead.
The Morales government
pledged to adopt a more
flexible stance towards
the autonomies demanded
by some opposition
provinces.
However, the opposition
groups, which believed
some issues related to
the agreement remain
controversial, was
reluctant to immediately
sign the deal.
Tensions remained high
in Bolivia, as
opposition protesters in
recent weeks stormed
government buildings,
blocked gas pipelines
and battled with
Morales's supporters in
four
opposition-controlled
provinces to seek more
autonomy and protest
government policies.
Bolivia, a natural
gas-rich country, has
become increasingly
polarized in terms of
economic development in
recent years.
The more affluent
eastern provinces, home
to most of Bolivia's
natural gas reserves,
have resisted Morales'
insistence that the
central government
control and distribute
energy profits, and have
been seeking regional
autonomy from the
central government.
In a national referendum
in July 2007, about 57
percent of Bolivian
voters voted against
autonomies of the
country's wealthier
provinces.
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