MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Morales and Washington “willing” to dialogue

Bolivian elected president Evo Morales said he forgives the United States government for all the humiliations and accusations launched against his country and emphasised he was willing to dialogue with Washington.

"I forgive the staff of the White House for all the humiliations, all the accusations. I forgive them because one must look ahead and be committed to a dialogue of peace and social justice", said Mr. Morales Wednesday wrapping up a visit to South Africa where he met with president Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria.

"From South Africa I want to tell the government of United States and the State Department that we, the indigenous movement, are a culture of dialogue", stressed the elected Bolivian president on hearing that the State Department was willing to talk with him.

"All dialogue geared to eliminate poverty and discrimination are welcome", added Morales who was on a two day visit to South Africa, as part of a world tour that has included Venezuela, France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, China and is scheduled to end this week in Brazil.

United States leading Latinamerican Affairs official, Thomas Shannon publicly anticipated that Washington is willing to dialogue with Mr. Morales in spite of the elected president's opposition to US sponsored trade and drug policies.

"We would like to have an opportunity to establish a dialogue with the elected president and his government to understand how to best advance in the bilateral relation", said Mr. Shannon who described that relation (so far) as "extremely positive".

In the past the president Bush administration demonized the figure of Mr. Morales the leader of the coca planting peasants for his promise to roll back the coca eradication programs sponsored and financed by Washington, if he was elected president.

Mr. Shannon US Under Secretary for Latin American affairs, currently in a tour of several South American countries insisted that Washington has had a long and fluid cooperation with Bolivia in combating coca crops and cocaine production.

"We'll have to talk to the new (Bolivian) government to see how we can keep advancing in this process", said Mr. Shannon who is scheduled to visit Argentina before leading the US delegation that will be present at the January 22 ceremony in La Paz when Mr. Morales takes office.