Cochabamba Declaration Approved
Solidarity and cooperation are two concepts included in the Cochabamba Declaration, approved in Cochabamba, Bolivia, on Saturday by dignitaries attending the Second South American Summit.

At a meeting with the troika press (Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia), President Evo Morales announced that the 3rd Summit will be in 2007 in Cartagena, Colombia.

Another top-level event on Energy Integration was likewise convened for 2007 in Venezuela, said the Bolivian statesman.

Before that, South American presidents or their representatives inked the final text of the event.

The Declaration recognizes influence of the globalization process in economies of the area, to create alternatives to retake growth and preservation of macro-economic balances.

The document also estimates the need to emphasize income distribution as an instrument to eliminate social exclusion and reduce poverty and external vulnerability.

To face that situation, regional integration is an alternative to avoid that globalization deepens asymmetries, contributes economic, social and political marginality, and tries to use opportunities for development, points out the text.

The construction of the South American Community of Nations, adds the Declaration, seeks to develop integration in political, social, cultural, economic, financial and environmental, and infrastructure spheres.

The Cochabamba pronouncement state that such South American unification is not only necessary to solve large scourges affecting the region, like poverty, exclusion and persistent social inequality, but also it is a decisive step to achieve an uni-polar, balanced, fair world, based on a peace culture.

We consider a new model of unity with own and pluralist identity, amid diversity and differences, recognizing different political and ideological conceptions that correspond to democratic plurality of our countries, state dignitaries in the text.

The last aim is and will be to favor a fairer, more harmonic and integral South American development, assert the signers.

The text approved by statesmen is based on guiding principles that must rule the South American integration.

Solidarity and cooperation for larger equity, reduce poverty and asymmetries, and foster multilateralism are important premises in the bloc"s international relations.

Participants promise to respect territorial integrity and self-determination of the Peoples, according to the UN principles and aims, assuring the States prerogative to decide their development strategies.

The meeting was attended by eight regional presidents, among them Bolivia"s host Evo Morales, as well as Brazil"s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chile"s Michelle Bachelet, Paraguay"s Nicanor Duarte, Guyana"s Bharrat Jagdeo, Peru"s Alan Garcia, Uruguay"s Tabare Vazquez and Venezuela"s Hugo Chavez.

Also participating were top representatives from Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador as member of the bloc, and Mexico and Panama as a guests.