MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Non aggression pact” to end secrecy of military agreements in South America

Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim

Brazilian diplomacy is working on a “non aggression” pact which it will propose to Colombia and other regional governments following on the military agreement signed by Bogotá with Washington and which has caused much concern in Brazil according to the Sao Paulo press.

Apparently the agreement ratified last week by Bogotá and Washington includes “gaps” for US military personnel operating from Colombian bases to participate or collaborate in attacks to countries of the region, according to sources quoted by Estado de Sao Paulo.

To avoid any risk to peace in South America, Foreign Affairs minister Celos Amorim is drafting a “non aggression pact” which will be consulted with other countries members of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur.

The document according to the Brazilian press has two main axes: the first ratifies the principled of the Tlatelolco Treaty of 1967 by which nuclear powers abstain from delivering atomic weapons to Latinamerican countries thus ratifying the region as a “peace zone”.

The second is a “confidence building clause” which in practical terms means all Unasur members will have access to information on military agreements, pacts, treaties, understandings with out of the region counties.

This according to Brazilian diplomats would also fit with Colombian concerns about military agreements signed by Venezuela with Russia and Iran.

The Brazilian project is not linked to Peru’s proposal to limit expenditure on military hardware and bring more transparency to defence budget numbers.

The Peruvian initiative is currently being presented to different South American leaders by cabinet ministers.