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Source: Reuters -
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Bolivia's leftist president said he hoped strained relations
with Washington would improve, but he demanded respect for his
country after meeting with the top US diplomat for Latin
America.
President Evo Morales expelled the US ambassador last year and
accused the United States of intervening in Bolivian affairs by
backing right-wing opponents of his drive to increase state control
of the economy.
"After having problems in the past few years ... the government and
I hope bilateral relations with the United States will improve,"
Morales said after meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State
Thomas Shannon.
"The relations must not be based on subjugation or subordination or
political meddling; we must have relations based on respect,"
Morales said.
The Bolivian leader, in office for three years, is a close ally of
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is a leading critic of the
United States, and his government has forged closer ties with
Iran.
Shannon's visit to Bolivia is part of the Obama administration's
drive to improve ties with leftist leaders in Latin America who
have been highly critical of US foreign policy and tightened
relations with Washington's enemies.
"What the US delegation has found here in La Paz is a strong
willingness from the Bolivian government ... to find a way to write
a new chapter in the relations between the United States and
Bolivia," Shannon told reporters.
He said he was optimistic for a successful end to the
dialogue.
Shannon is the highest-ranking US official to visit La Paz since
Morales kicked out the US ambassador, Philip Goldberg, last
September and expelled US drug agents from Bolivia, saying they
were conspiring against his government.
The Bush administration responded by throwing out Bolivia's
ambassador to the United States, Gustavo Guzman, and ending trade
benefits for the impoverished Andean nation for not doing enough to
fight cocaine traffickers.
