Bolivia Seeks Good Ties With U.S., But
Without Interference
LA PAZ - The Bolivian government said
Tuesday it preferred friendly relations with
the United States based on mutual respect to
being tied to its aid programs.
Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca
made the comment during a press conference
in relation to a U.S. decision to suspend
Bolivia from Andean Trade Promotion and Drug
Enforcement Agency (Atpdea) program.
"This frame agreement must be of mutual
respect, it has to respect the Bolivian
decision. We are a small country, but we are
a dignified country, we do not accept more
intromissions, no more submission to the
United States," Choquehuanca said.
Ties between Bolivia and the United States
were cut after the U.S. ambassador to
Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, was expelled in
2008,accused of interfering in internal
issues.
Since then, the two countries have
negotiated a seven-point agenda to restore
ties but haven't yet reached an agreement.
However, Choquehuanca said Bolivia expected
an agreement would come eventually. "This
work must be finished one day. We are not in
a hurry, what we want is respect," he said.
"What we want is that this agreement takes
into account our national laws, to take into
account our interests, no more
intromissions. We want the cooperation to be
State-State," Choquehuanca said.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently
extended the suspension of preferences to
Bolivia under Atpdea until Dec. 31, 2010.
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