S. America calls for expulsion of US troops

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S. America calls for expulsion of US troops

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UNASUR leaders meet in an extraordinary session in Argentina to discuss the presence of foreign forces in South America.

Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) wraps up its extraordinary summit in Argentina amongst angry protests aimed at the US-Colombia military pact.

Regional leaders from the bloc of 12 nations in South America concluded the special UNASUR summit meeting held in the southern Argentine town of Bariloche on August 28, after the member states called for enduring peace and territorial integrity of the region's mostly leftist countries.

The leaders joined voices in expressing concerns about the presence of foreign forces in the region that might pose threats to the sovereignty of the bloc's Member States - a reference to a recent military pact between the United States and Colombia.

The heads of South American states in UNASUR also pledged to "abstain from using threats or force against the integrity of other states from the UNASUR."

UNASUR's Friday declaration, signed by the Member States including Colombia, reiterates the bloc's commitment "to strengthen the fight and cooperation against terrorism and transnational organized crime and its related crimes," including "the trafficking of small and light guns."

The signed document requires the UNASUR countries to refrain from posing any military threats against other nations, specifying that "military cooperation agreements must be directed by the unconditional respect to the principles and aims of the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of the UNASUR Constitutive treaty."

The move appears to be directed at Colombia where President Alvaro Uribe has allowed US military to use seven army bases in the country.

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters took to the streets around the summit venue, demanding the expulsion of hundreds of US troops to be stationed in bases across South America.

Demonstrators, accompanied by non-governmental organization activists and social campaigners, also protested against the presence of Uribe at the summit.

Several unions and political parties have signed a letter of protest against the presence of the US in Latin America. The letter was delivered to the regional leaders gathered in the Argentine mountain resort of Bariloche.

UNASUR, launched in 2008 to strengthen regional ties and fight drug trafficking and corruption, comprises of 12 South American nations including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela.


ARQN/ZAP/DT