EL UNIVERSAL


The US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said his government deems Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez' agenda as "negative," adding that Washington is betting on biofuels because they do not want to depend on Venezuelan and Iranian oil.

In an interview published by O Estado de Sao Paulo newspapers, Burns, who last February 9th completed a tour of Brazil and Argentina, praised Brazil's agenda, and claimed Brazil was the "the most powerful country in South America," Efe quoted.

"It is important that countries find a way to be positive, trust each other and work together. But in our view, Chávez' agenda involves past policies: nationalization of industries, anti-US stance (…) We do not exactly have a relation with Hugo Chávez because he decided not to. He is trying to create an anti-US movement. How could we hold talks about climate change, biofuels, trade, reduction of poverty and social justice if we do not integrate and work together?"

Burns stressed that US agenda with Brazil, Argentina and Peru is positive, "but the agenda with Chávez is not. It is his choice and he is a free man to make his own decisions, but we do not have to follow him."

The US official said his country does not want to interfere with the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), adding that countries in the region have to consider whether they need mechanisms to counter Chávez' influence.

According to Burns, one of the reasons for the US to seek an agreement with Brazil on the worldwide adoption of biofuels is because Washington no longer wants to depend on Venezuelan and Iranian oil. "Energy has become a big diplomatic issue. Energy has tended to distort and expand the power of some countries beyond the power they should probably have. In some cases, this is positive; in other cases it is negative. We could say it is negative in the cases of Iran and Venezuela."

In Argentina, Burns met at the presidential palace Casa Rosada with the chief of the Argentine ministerial cabinet Alberto Fernández and met briefly with President Néstor Kirchner. Burns branded the meeting as "excellent," saying they addressed a wide range of issues where Venezuela, Hugo Chávez and "concerns" about the future of democracy in Venezuela were in the spotlight. "We hope democracy in Venezuela is preserved rather than dismantled."

Regarding nuclear energy and Iranian policies, Burns declared: "The only countries actually supporting Iran are a group of four, namely Cuba, Venezuela, Syria and Belarus." Argentine newspaper La Nación quoted.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com