MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian regional initiative to cut military expenditure and fight poverty

During 2008 South America invested 34 billion US dollars in arms purchases

Peru launched in Argentina its peace, security and cooperation initiative to reduce arms purchases in the region and to lower expenditure on military hardware.

“We are concerned that with no real conflict motive, last year the region spent 34 billion US dollars in arms. That is why we are taking our initiative to all presidents from the Union of South American Nations, Unasur”, said Peruvian Production Minister Mercedes Aaroz during a press conference Tuesday in Buenos Aires.

The peace, security and cooperation protocol proposes that all Unasur member countries limit their current military expenditure in 3%, arms purchases in a five year period be reduced by 15% and cooperate in the creation of a regional security force.

“It’s a South American force in which all South American countries will have a common agenda and can thus prevent foreign threats. It would be like the UN blue helmets, but a much smaller force, according to our region”, said Aaroz who met with Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

She explained that the implementation of the protocol would help to drastically contain poverty and reduce military expenditure, since “less money spent in arms means more funds invested in social programs”.

“If we reduce military expenditure and the purchase of modern hardware we could push ten million people out of poverty in five years”, said Peruvian opposition MP Alejandro Aguinaga Recuenco who is part of the official Peruvian delegation.

Initially Peruvian president Alan Garcia had proposed siging a “non aggression pact” in the framework of Unasur, but it was harshly criticized by Chile which argued a pact in such terms means there’s “a latent threat” which is not the case.

However the new peace, security and cooperation initiative was praised by Chilean officials who will be meeting with Minister Aaroz on November 18th.

“The region’s scenarios are of non aggression. Language is the least important, what is really important is to limit and reduce arms purchases” she insisted pointing out that Peru was capable of reducing poverty ten points by lowering military expenditure.

Ms Aaroz is scheduled to meet with Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Uruguay’s Tabare Vazquez. Environment minister Antonio Brack will be visiting Brazil and Surinam while Foreign Affairs minister Martin Perez, Colombia, Venezuela and