…opening of third UNASUR Summit

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, center, salutes Cuba’s President Raul Castro, back to the camera, during the inauguration ceremony for the second period of Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa at the National Assembly in Quito, yesterday. At left is Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo and at right, Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez.

GUYANESE Head of State, President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday joined with the other Heads of Government of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in participating in the inauguration of President Rafael Correa of Ecuador for a second term.

The inauguration coincided with the start of the third summit of the South American bloc, where discussions will focus on a controversial Colombia-United States military agreement to use Colombian bases to fight drug trafficking and terrorism, regional integration and the recent coup in Honduras.

“I would like to repeat what the permanent position of UNASUR has been in regards to the necessity that President (Manuel) Zelaya be returned to his position and insist on what we’ve already signaled during the MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) meeting, which is that we will not recognize any authority that is elected in elections organized by a de facto government,” Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing President of the UNASUR said, during the Summit opening.

Guyana’s Government had joined in the condemnation of the coup, saying that it was concerned at the breakdown of the constitutional order in Honduras, in accordance with the principles of democracy and the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa and Bolivia’s President Evo Morales shake hands as Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo, second from right, and Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana, right, look on during a summit of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, in Quito yesterday.

Ahead of the meeting, Chile handed over presidency of the group to Ecuador.

The summit follows a meeting of the foreign ministers of the group on Sunday, where they drafted a declaration that will be signed by the heads of Government at the end of their gathering.

Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Fander Falconi said the declaration will announce the establishment of four new councils, in addition to the existing two of defence and public health.

“The new councils are about social development, education, infrastructure, and anti-drug trafficking,” said Falconi.

Emilio Izquierdo, the Ecuadorian representative to UNASUR, told reporters the document will also touch upon the ongoing world financial crisis.

“Facing this global crisis that we are living through, which is one of the most serious crises of the capitalist system, we have to find profound solutions, solutions that are not going to be found within the collapsing system. We have to construct creative, revolutionary answers in order to build something new, something better,” Ecuadorian President Correa said during the opening. (GINA)