MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Morales/Rice meeting in Chile confirmed

Bolivian president Evo Morales confirmed he will be meeting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Chile during the taking office ceremony of elected Chilean president Michelle Bachelet scheduled for next Saturday.

President Morals said the issues to be addressed are exclusively "economic and trade", such as the preservation of the Andean market, expansion of the tariff preferences system and the Millennium targets.

The interview "will be a new experience for my government, for me personally. We belong to the dialogue culture", pointed out President Morales during a brief encounter with the press following a meeting in La Paz Government House with US Ambassador in Bolivia, David Greenlee.

According to La Paz press reports Bolivian soybean farmers believe that the free trade agreement to be signed between the US and Colombia will have a negative effect for Bolivian agriculture.

President Morales has repeatedly stated that a trade agreement of the Andean countries with the US will have an impact in interregional trade particularly for sensitive crops such as soybeans.

"It will be crucial to talk about issues related to Bolivia's trade share in the Andean community", said President Morales given the fact that Peru and Ecuador are also in the process of reaching free trade agreements with United States.

Another sensitive issue is the preferential tariffs system which extends Andean community countries labour intensive products privileged access to the US market.

Apparently both sides agreed not to include in the official agenda such irritating issues as the recent cancelling of US military aid to Bolivia and an incident involving the leading Senator of President Morales group who was unable to lecture in a Chicago forum because her US visa was denied.

The Bolivian president is one of 37 world leaders who will be participating Friday and Saturday in Ms Bachelet taking office ceremonies.