Monday, August 10, 2009

International Relations: UNASUR summit set to begin in Ecuador

Xinhua - The Summit of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will be held in Quito Monday to discuss global economic crisis, regional security and other issues of common concern.

As the successor of the South American Community of Nations (CSN) which was dropped in the first South American Energy Summit on April 16,

2007, UNASUR was set up in 2008, bringing together Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The summit coincides with the inauguration of Rafael Correa for a second term as Ecuadorian president on Monday.

Ecuador is set to take over the rotating presidency of UNASUR from Chile which has led the organization for one year.

The 12-member bloc is likely to issue a formal condemnation of the June 28 coup in Honduras that removed President Manuel Zelaya from power.

The issue of Colombia's plan to allow the U.S. use of its seven military bases will also be discussed at the summit.

Colombia has had no diplomatic ties with host Ecuador for more than a year, due to a cross-border army raid on a camp of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels on Ecuadorian soil.