EU Morales discusses nationalisation coca and Cuba with Foreign Affairs Committee

EU: Morales discusses nationalisation, coca and Cuba with Foreign
Affairs Committee

/noticias.info/ Shortly after his formal address to the plenary session
on Monday evening, Bolivian President Evo Morales took part in a debate
with the Foreign Affairs Committee. MEPs praised his personal commitment
and showed understanding for his social reform plans, though there were
questions about the legality of the nationalisations being pushed
through by the former indigenous activist and leader of coca-leaf
growing farmers - and about his close relations with Fidel Castro.

Véronique de Keyser (PES, BE) said his speech in plenary was "Politics
with a capital P", while Francis Wurtz (GUE/NGL, FR) found Morales'
speech "extremely touching, authentic and dignified". Philippe Morillon
(ALDE, FR) wished Morales every success but asked him to explain how he
intended to proceed with negotiations with European countries and
industries on the nationalisation of natural resources. Poul Rasmussen
(PES, DK) insisted that the Bolivian president, like anyone else, "had
the fundamental right to renegotiate contracts". Both he and Monica
Frassoni (Greens/EFA, IT) advised Mr Morales, however, not to stake
everything on "two friends". "The aid that Castro is giving may not be
positive for you", Ms Frassoni warned. Mr Rasmussen told the Bolivian
leader that he had many, many friends.

Elmar Brok (EPP-ED, DE) warned the Mr Morales about Parliament's
continuing concern over Cuba's human rights record, and insisted that
social justice could not be achieved by with legal uncertainty. José
Salafranca (EPP-ED, ES) said that foreign investment in Bolivia would
only be forthcoming if there was legal certainty and political stability
in the country. He also said the "overnight nationalisations" were "not
a friendly sign and were incompatible in both form and substance" with
the cooperation agreements between the EU and Bolivia. Several Members
asked for Mr Morales' cooperation in fighting drug trafficking and his
support for fostering greater Latin American unity.

Mr Morales argued that legal justice cannot exist without social
justice, and that his reforms were "righting the wrongs of 500 years of
pillaging" during colonialism. He insisted that he was not an enemy of
private companies, and that his nationalisation scheme would not result
in expulsions or expropriations. He highlighted investment in health and
education as his country's priorities and defended small-scale
cultivation of coca leaves for the local market, but not for the
production of cocaine. Morales also said he supported organic
agriculture: "Organic produce is much appreciated in Europe and we don't
wish to compete with countries in the GMO sector."

Datos de la noticia
Noticia nº: 179027
Fuente : European Parliament
Marca
Ciudad: Strasbourg
País: Francia
Agencia emisora: (no informado)
Grupo Internacional
Sección Internacional
Subsección Política
Fecha emisión: 16/05/2006
Fecha publicación: 17/05/2006
Tiempo de lectura 2 min

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