Bolivia, U.S. seek to redirect diplomatic ties
March 20, 2009 - China Net News

LA PAZ, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The governments of Bolivia and U.S. are working in frame agreement to redirect their bilateral ties, based on respect to their sovereignty and dignity, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said on Thursday.

Choquehuanca said both nations are on permanent communication and they will hold meetings in Washington and La Paz.

The diplomatic ties between Bolivia and U.S. are at a difficult moment after Bolivia expelled U.S. ambassador Philip Goldberg on Sept. 10, 2008, accusing conspiracy, and U.S. answered by expelling Bolivian ambassador Gustavo Guzman.

"We are working on a new framed agreement with U.S. to recognize the sovereignty and dignity of Bolivians. They (U.S) are aware that they must respect Bolivian authorities," Choquehuanca said.

When referring actions of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Choquehuanca said any kind of aid is welcome but without conditions.

When expelling Goldberg from Bolivia, Bolivian President Evo Morales declared him "unwelcome person," saying that Goldberg supported Bolivian opposition protests, in five of the nine departments of Bolivia, against Morales' government.

U.S. answered by expelling Guzman and former U.S. president George W. Bush decided to include Bolivia in the "black list" of the countries allegedly not combating the drug trafficking.

On March 10, both countries had a new diplomatic impasse when Bolivia expelled U.S. second secretary of the embassy in Bolivia, Francisco Martinez, accusing him of conspiracy and having links with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).