USAN-Union of South American Nations signs treaty

[Biblenuggetlady]

I was checking Wiki for something this morning and noticed this on their daily news section-I haven't heard this elsewhere:

Union of South American Nations

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Presidentes_unasur_%28cropped%29.jpg/800px-Presidentes_unasur_%28cropped%29.jpg
(Notice Chavez' hand is not raised, nor a man at the opposite end, probably Columbia's leader? :scratch )


The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty was signed on May 23, 2008, at the Third Summit of Heads of State, held in Brasília, Brazil. [2] According to the Constitutive Treaty, the Union's headquarters will be located in Quito, Ecuador. The South American Parliament will be located in Cochabamba, Bolivia, while its bank, the Bank of the South (Dutch: Bank van het Zuiden, Portuguese: Banco do Sul, Spanish: Banco del Sur), will be located in Bogota, Colombia.[3] The Union's former designation, the South American Community of Nations (Dutch: Zuid-Amerikaanse Statengemeenschap, Portuguese: Comunidade Sul-Americana de Nações, and Spanish: Comunidad de Naciones Sudamericanas), abbreviated as CSN, was dropped at the First South American Energy Summit on April 16, 2007.[4]

The leaders announced their intention to model the new community after the European Union including a common currency, parliament, and passport. According to Allan Wagner Tizón, former Secretary General of the Andean Community, a complete union like that of the EU should be possible by 2019.

Single market
One of the initiatives of UNASUR is the creation of a single market, beginning with the elimination of tariffs for non-sensitive products by 2014 and sensitive products by 2019.

Observer states:
Panama
Mexico

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_South_American_Nations

[GodIsMyStrength]

This is huge! My heart went into my throat & I got goosebumps when I read this.:faint

http://http://cbs4.com/national/south.american.european.2.731922.html

South American Leaders Form Regional Union
Chavez: Unification Will Counter US Dominance
CBS News Interactive: About South America
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) ― A new South American union was born Friday as leaders of the region's 12 nations set out to create a continental parliament.

Some see the new Union of South American Nations, known as Unasur, as a regional version of the European Union. Summit host Brazil wants it to help coordinate defense affairs across South America, and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez calls it a counterweight to the United States.

"The No. 1 enemy of the union of the south is the empire of the United States," Chavez said, claiming that the U.S. is "trying to generate wars in South America" to "divide and conquer."

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva invited other Latin American and Caribbean nations to join the venture. "Unasur is born, open to all the region, born under the signs of diversity and pluralism," he said.

But South America still faces its own divisive issues.

Unasur's first secretary-general, Rodrigo Borja, resigned Thursday before the organization formally met. He complained that some leaders had balked at his vision of putting regional trade blocs, including Mercosur and the Andean Community, under Unasur.

Leaders also were split over plans for a South American Defense Council that would resolve conflicts, promote military cooperation and possibly coordinate joint weapons production.

Colombia is the only nation that opposes joining such a council, saying "the terrorist threat" it faces at home, amid 40 years of civil conflict, precludes military cooperation. Even so, a government statement added, "Colombia does not oppose the creation of a working group to study the theme."

Relations in the region have been shaken by a Colombian cross-border raid into Ecuador on March 1 that killed Raul Reyes of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and 24 others. Colombia says computer files allegedly belonging to the rebel commander indicate links between the group and Venezuela.

Chavez called the allegation an "outright lie" and said the raid violated "Ecuadorean sovereignty ... the OAS charter and the United Nations." But he nevertheless shook hands Friday with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and said he wants good relations with Colombia.

Chavez also said oil prices have risen beyond Venezuela's expectations but they could stabilize at about $100 (64 euro) a barrel.

He called U.S. President George W. Bush "the most unpopular president in the history of the world" and said any of the three top candidates to succeed him would be an improvement.

"Any leader that's elected will have to listen to public opinion and refocus relations not only with Latin America but, I believe, with the rest of the world," he said.

Silva used his speech at the summit to urge wealthier nations to cut farm subsidies and import tariffs, and he defended biofuels, including ethanol, which critics blame for rising food prices.

"We should not be fooled one bit by the arguments of those who, for protectionist or geopolitical motives, feel uncomfortable with our industry, our agriculture and with the realization of our energy potential," he said.

Unasur could ease future political tensions, promoting development on a continent where intra-regional trade topped $72 billion (54.6 billion euro) in 2006, experts say.

South America's economy is expected to grow by 4.7 percent this year, according to the U.N.'s Economic Commission on Latin America. It expanded 5.7 percent in 2007, when foreign direct investment reached a record $106 billion (72 billion euro) as global demand for the region's natural resources soared.



(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

[antitox]

Wow. It's really catching on, isn't it? :twitch

[Just Ron]

one of the 10 states?

[oyster_777]

10 kings

[MidnightCry]

10 kings

Just curious, what is this map based on (what's it's source)?

[star]

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52621

[Issachar]

This is huge. I'm glad I found this thread this morning.
You folks are great! :thumb

Issachar

[heart_changed99]

:shocked

[SaveTheTurtles]

This is huge. I'm glad I found this thread this morning.
You folks are great! :thumb

Issachar

My sister just told me to come here and read this thread, YES, this is HUGE!!!!:ohno