MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivian parliament en route to approved cooperation treaty with Iran

President Mahmud Ahmadinejad with his counterpart Morales

Bolivia’s Lower House approved a cooperation agreement with Iran in spite of strong protests from opposition congress-women claiming that the Teheran regime systematically violates the rights of women.

“Opposition rejects the agreement signed in 2007 when President Mahmud Ahmadinejad visited Bolivia because that country does not respect the rights of women or children”, said member of the Lower House Norma Pierola.

“We have asked all our gender comrades not to make legitimate a totally irregular act in our relations with Iran, besides the fact that it is world known the arms race in which the Teheran regime is involved”, she added.

Women members of Parliament attempted to display a video showing how women are treated in Iran but was rejected by the president of the House, Hector Arce, who argued it was not linked to the matter in debate.

A short release from the Lower House said the treaty with Iran was the framework for bilateral agreements and projects in “hydrocarbons, culture, science and technology, management of natural resources, construction and manufacturing”.

Bolivia and Iran who share a strong anti-US diatribe resumed diplomatic relations in September 2007, two weeks before President Ahmadinejad’ s first official visit to Bolivia.

The agreement has yet to be approved by the Senate before it goes to President Evo Morales for its promulgation. Morales ruling coalition also has a majority in the Upper House.