MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay adrift from Taiwan and closer to Beijing

Pte. Lugo looking for new international options

A “new diplomatic time” has opened for Paraguay's international relations and one of its priorities is establishing full relations with Beijing, said Foreign Affairs minister Alejandro Hamed Franco during a visit to Brasilia.

The announcement is significant since Paraguay is one of the few Latinamerican countries that has a privileged relation with the government of Taiwan, the island Beijing considers a "rebel province". "The Paraguayan government is interested in establishing relations with China; the issue of Taiwan and mainland China will be solved gradually in the coming months when the administration of President Fernando Lugo makes a final decision on the issue", said Hamed quoted by news agencies. The regime of dictator-president Alfredo Stroessner (1954/1989) had a special relation with the government of Taiwan which continues. Taiwan supported Paraguay financially on several occasions plus having several cooperation programs in agriculture, education and other fields. However diplomatic tradition, following on Beijing's requisites, has been that any country which establishes formal relations with China must annul or suspend links with Taiwan. "The new foreign policy of Paraguay must be in consonance with the spirit of the new administration of President Lugo, which means making traditional relations robust and exploring new markets for our trade. We are in the middle of a new process which is looking for different alternatives in international relations", added Hamed who visited Brasilia to hold talks with his Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim. President Lugo is scheduled to visit Brasilia and meet with his counterpart Lula da Silva next week. It will be Mr. Lugo's first international trip since taking office.