The First South America Energy Summit ended on Tuesday with the
establishment of a South American Energy Council that will follow
the development of the regional energy accords, Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
announced.
The Presidents or representatives of the 12 countries of the
Community South American Nations met Tuesday in Margarita Island,
in the Caribbean off Venezuela, in the First South American Energy
Summit.
Chavez said an agreement has been reached to name the regional
integration as Union of South American Nations (Unasur).
He added that Unasur's permanent secretariat will be in Quito,
Ecuador's capital.
He said that with the South American countries' integration the
energy supply for the region can be assured, avoiding an energy
crisis and transforming the region into one of the world's energy
powers, without ignoring alternative energy.
Chavez proposed Tuesday to the Presidents' meeting the
constitution of an energy bloc to administrate the region's
resources. The Venezuelan President defined his proposal as an
energy treaty covering oil, gas, alternative energy and energy
saving.
He said his country will purchase sugarcane ethanol from
Brazilas a gasoline anti-pollution additive, but said biofuels are
a viable alternative as long as supplying food to the people comes
first.
The Summit began Monday with meetings with the 12 countries'
energy ministers.
However, according to sources of different delegations the
debates were damaged by the biofuel issue, a point of disagreement
especially between Venezuela and Brazil.
Participating in the summit were presidents from Colombia,
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Guyana and
Surinam.
Uruguay sent a vice-president, while Peru was presented by its
diplomatic representative.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2007)
