MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US initiative to contain Chavez involvement

United States Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld in a brief visit to Paraguay praised the local government for its commitment to combat terrorism and “develop free from all foreign influence”.

This is the Pentagon's chief fifth visit to Latinamerica and according to sources from his delegation one of the main motives is to gather information on the extent of Venezuelan and Cuban involvement in the area.

Landlocked Paraguay has borders with Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, and since last July US troops have been participating in limited military exercises.

During his 24 hours visit to Paraguay, Rumsfeld met for over two hours and a half with president Nicanor Duarte Frutos.

"There is evidence that both Cuba and Venezuela have been involved in Bolivian affairs in ways that are not precisely of aid", said Mr. Rumsfeld.

"Since last year we're seeing the return of an aggressive Cuban foreign policy in the area", admitted one of the US Defence Secretary aides.

Besides the alleged Cuban and Venezuelan interference, United States is also concerned with the "triple frontier" and the City of the East, a frontier city in Paraguayan territory, with a strong Arab speaking population, which is also refuge for smugglers, arms dealers and drug trafficking.

The City of the East, which borders with Argentina and Brazil, has been signalled as fertile ground for some of the extremist groups operating in the Middle East such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

Almost simultaneously in Buenos Aires Daniel Glaser US Deputy Treasury Secretary said that Washington is convinced that "terrorism is being helped with financing from the Triple Frontier".

"Although it's not new, we are concerned", said Mr. Glaser who nevertheless praised Argentina, both the Executive and Congress, for their commitment in keeping close watch of the area.

"Argentina plays a strategic role in the area. Fighting the finance networks of terrorism is not an easy task and requires permanent efforts and the commitment of all countries".

"Argentina is a strategic ally, a very valuable partner that together with Brazil and Paraguay are working to clean the area", underlined Mr. Glaser.

The US official spent four days in Buenos Aires contacting people from the Central Bank, Justice Department, Human Rights Office, Foreign Affairs and Economy ministries as well as members of Congress.

Mr. Glaser is promoting "units of trade transparency", a US initiative to exchange and cross data from different countries which supposedly helps to identify money laundering and terrorism financing.

Last June the US State Department identified Assad Ahmad Barakat as one of the Hezbollah members in the Triple Frontier area who helps finance terrorist groups by "deviating funds to Iran and Lebanon", recalled Mr. Glaser.

The Argentine Congress is finalizing the consideration of a bill which typifies as a crime terrorism financing activities.