Bachelet waves to prove she isn'ttweaking Studmuffin's buns
We're now six hours into the closed door meeting between the nine heads of state (Evo decided to turn up after all), the Peru chancellor* and the Head of the OAS Insulza (the best President Chile never had).
Lots of men wearing ties, and some dude from Paraguay, too
Word is that the group has finished debate and is about to make a nine point declaration called "The Declaration of the Moneda" (the name of Chile's Presidential Palace), after which the current President of UNASUR, Michelle Bachelet will hold a press conference (which is likely to be brief). There's quite a lot of speculation about the contents of the declaration, but it seems wiser for us all to wait until we hear rather than second-guess.
Seriously bad interior colour design, Michelle
I'll update this with the declaration as soon as it hits.
UPDATE 1: Not the declaration yet, but the words of Klishtina Fernandesh de Kirchner as she left the meeting (she sure likes 'her moments' with the press corps):
"We fully ratify our support of the democratic government of President Evo Morales. At the same time, we place as a condition to start dialogue that the groups that have illegally occupied public buildings and have taken actions such as roadblocks etc cede and hand back those buildings as condition of dialogue.
"At the same time, we condemn and reject any attempt of a civil coup or rupture of institutional order, and no situation will be recognized that is product of actions of this nature."
UPDATE 2: Here's the full declaration, as read out by President Michelle Bachelet a few minutes ago at the presser (photo). Translation Otto
Bachelet: "Hmmm, looks like rain."
Santiago de Chile, September 15 2008
The heads of state and the government of Unasur, meeting in the Palace of the Moneda, Santiago de Chile, September 15 2008, with the purpose of considering the situation in the Republic of Bolivia and remembering the tragic episodes 35 years ago in this very place that shocked all humanity:
Considering the the constitutive treaty of Unasur, signed in Brasilia on May 23rd 2008, enshrines the principles of unrestricted respect for sovereignty, of the non-interference in internal affairs, of the integrity and inviolbility of territory, of democracy and its institutions and the unrestricted respect of human rights;
Faced with the grave occurances reported in the sister Republic of Bolivia, and in favour of the strengthening of political dialogue and cooperation for the strengthening of citizen's security, the countries that make up Unasur express:
1. Their fullest and decided support for the constitutional government of President Evo Morales, whose mandate was ratified by a wide margin in the recent referendum.
2. They warn that its respective governments energetically reject and do not recognize any situation that implies an intent of civil coup d'etat, the rupture of institutional order, or that compromises the territorial integrity of the Republic of Bolivia
3. Consequent to the above, and in consideration of the grave situation that affects the sister Republic of Bolivia, they condemn the attack on government installations and public forces by groups that look for the destabilization of Bolivia's democracy, and demand the prompt return of those installations as condition for the start of the dialogue process.
4. At the same time, they call for all political and social actors involved to take the necessary measures so that acts of violence, intimidation, attacks on the democratic institutionality and estabished judicial order cease immediately.
5. In this context, they express the firmest condemnation of the massacre that took place in the department of Pando, and support the call made by the Bolivian government for a Unasur commission to be set up in this brother country to impartially investigate and report this lamentable occurance as soon as possible, and to formulate recommendations in such a way that it is not left unpunished.
6. They ask all members of Bolivian society to preserve national unity and the territorial integrity of that country, basic fundamentals of any State, and to reject any intent to undermine those principles.
7. They call for dialogue to establish the conditions that will permit the present situation to be overcome, and create the search for a sustainable solution, under full respect of the state of curfew and the current legal order.
*Alan's official excuse for not attending is he needs Parliament approval to leave the country, the meeting was called at very short notice and the Peru politicos weren't sitting....yeaah, right)
Lots of men wearing ties, and some dude from Paraguay, tooWord is that the group has finished debate and is about to make a nine point declaration called "The Declaration of the Moneda" (the name of Chile's Presidential Palace), after which the current President of UNASUR, Michelle Bachelet will hold a press conference (which is likely to be brief). There's quite a lot of speculation about the contents of the declaration, but it seems wiser for us all to wait until we hear rather than second-guess.
Seriously bad interior colour design, MichelleI'll update this with the declaration as soon as it hits.
UPDATE 1: Not the declaration yet, but the words of Klishtina Fernandesh de Kirchner as she left the meeting (she sure likes 'her moments' with the press corps):
"We fully ratify our support of the democratic government of President Evo Morales. At the same time, we place as a condition to start dialogue that the groups that have illegally occupied public buildings and have taken actions such as roadblocks etc cede and hand back those buildings as condition of dialogue.
"At the same time, we condemn and reject any attempt of a civil coup or rupture of institutional order, and no situation will be recognized that is product of actions of this nature."
UPDATE 2: Here's the full declaration, as read out by President Michelle Bachelet a few minutes ago at the presser (photo). Translation Otto
Bachelet: "Hmmm, looks like rain."Santiago de Chile, September 15 2008
The heads of state and the government of Unasur, meeting in the Palace of the Moneda, Santiago de Chile, September 15 2008, with the purpose of considering the situation in the Republic of Bolivia and remembering the tragic episodes 35 years ago in this very place that shocked all humanity:
Considering the the constitutive treaty of Unasur, signed in Brasilia on May 23rd 2008, enshrines the principles of unrestricted respect for sovereignty, of the non-interference in internal affairs, of the integrity and inviolbility of territory, of democracy and its institutions and the unrestricted respect of human rights;
Faced with the grave occurances reported in the sister Republic of Bolivia, and in favour of the strengthening of political dialogue and cooperation for the strengthening of citizen's security, the countries that make up Unasur express:
1. Their fullest and decided support for the constitutional government of President Evo Morales, whose mandate was ratified by a wide margin in the recent referendum.
2. They warn that its respective governments energetically reject and do not recognize any situation that implies an intent of civil coup d'etat, the rupture of institutional order, or that compromises the territorial integrity of the Republic of Bolivia
3. Consequent to the above, and in consideration of the grave situation that affects the sister Republic of Bolivia, they condemn the attack on government installations and public forces by groups that look for the destabilization of Bolivia's democracy, and demand the prompt return of those installations as condition for the start of the dialogue process.
4. At the same time, they call for all political and social actors involved to take the necessary measures so that acts of violence, intimidation, attacks on the democratic institutionality and estabished judicial order cease immediately.
5. In this context, they express the firmest condemnation of the massacre that took place in the department of Pando, and support the call made by the Bolivian government for a Unasur commission to be set up in this brother country to impartially investigate and report this lamentable occurance as soon as possible, and to formulate recommendations in such a way that it is not left unpunished.
6. They ask all members of Bolivian society to preserve national unity and the territorial integrity of that country, basic fundamentals of any State, and to reject any intent to undermine those principles.
7. They call for dialogue to establish the conditions that will permit the present situation to be overcome, and create the search for a sustainable solution, under full respect of the state of curfew and the current legal order.
8. In this respect, the Presidents of Unasur agree to create a commission open to all members, coordinated by the Pro-tempore Presidency, to accompany the tasks of the the dialogues conducted by the legitimate government of Bolivia
9. They will create a support and assistance commission to the government of Bolivia, in function to its requirements and including specialist human resources.