MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombian Senate approves Unasur founding charter

Ecuadorean Foreign Affairs minister Ricardo Patiño

Ecuadorean Foreign Affairs minister Ricardo Patiño hailed the approval by the Colombian Senate of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, charter which leaves the group one short of its legal constitution. The Uruguayan parliament is expected to follow suit in coming days.

So far eight Unasur member Legislatives have voted for the treaty and one more approval is needed to make the organization legally existent.

“We’re just a step away from enforcing the Unasur charter”, revealed Patiño during a meeting of the group’s representatives for the drafting of a joint proposal on gas emissions ahead of the coming climate change summit at the end of the month in Mexico.

Patiño, whose country currently holds the temporary presidency of Unasur described the announcement from Colombia as “very good news”.

“Let’s hope the Lower House, as promised, moves fast so we can have Colombia’s full approval before November 26”, added Patiño. On that date Guyana takes over the Unasur presidency from Ecuador at a summit scheduled to take place in Georgetown.

The Colombian Senate approved the Unasur founding charter and treaty with the support of 68 of its members last Tuesday following two days debate. The issue is also included for consideration in Uruguay’s parliament agenda for this month.

The Colombian vote is possibly the most important because Bogotá, with its close military cooperation agreements with the US, was reluctant, almost suspicious, of belonging to a “political, defence cooperation” group brainchild of Brazilian diplomacy and with President Hugo Chavez’ Venezuela as one of its most enthusiast members.

The Georgetown summit is expected to begin discussions on the nomination of a successor to Unasur’ first Secretary General, former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner who died last month.