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Mercosur Armies Chief of Staff Commanders meeting in Chile decided to make the organization into a permanent consulting body on defense and foreign affairs issues.
The Armies commanders from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile were also critical of United States policies regarding the war on narcotics and support for Haiti, according to reliable military sources. Apparently the Mercosur military complained United States wasn't supportive enough in the fight against the drug trade and regarding Haiti has not committed what was promised and seemed more absorbed "by its own interests". The Bolivian military were particularly insistent on the drugs issue claiming United States had not come up with the promised aid and demands an "excess of conditions" for the implementation of resources. In the final statement the Armies Chief of Staff Commanders agreed to advance towards a more "fitting" anti drugs policy, which anyhow would respect specific cases, since some regional Armed Forces are barred from direct involvement and can only offer logistics support to police forces. The Valparaíso meeting which went almost unaccounted because of the inauguration of Chilean president Michelle Bachelet was closed by former Defense Minister Jaime Ravinet. Other issues in the agenda of the now permanent committee included ways to increase participation in United Nations peace keeping operations and organizing greater interaction between the regional land forces. United States military did not participate of the meeting. Mercopress - www.mercopress.com
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