BELGIUM: Bolivian President Evo Morales meets Belgian King Albert II in Brussels as Belgium pledges 7.5 million euros to Bolivia

Record ID: 858766

  • Title: BELGIUM: Bolivian President Evo Morales meets Belgian King Albert II in Brussels as Belgium pledges 7.5 million euros to Bolivia
  • Date: 17th May 2006
  • Summary: MORALES AND DE GUCHT STANDING PEOPLE WAITING BY THE SIDE
  • Embargoed: 1st June 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: International Relations,Royalty
  • Reuters ID: LVAE2OTLGWZNQQC1ND18WIRT3UPX
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The Latin American hero of nationalisation, Bolivia's new President Evo Morales, was greeted by Royalty in Belgium on Tuesday (May 16).
    The meeting took place just a day after he addressed the European Parliament to reassure the 25-nation bloc's governments that European companies would still profit from their investment despite his radical nationalisation programme.
    The nationalised companies will belong to the state.
    The Bolivian President was elected last December and shocked the world by announcing the nationalisation of Bolivia's natural gas industry on May 1st. The US and EU have criticised the nationalisation programme, which threatens investments by a host of foreign companies including Brazil's Petrobras and France's Total.
    Morales met King Albert II at his royal residence in Brussels where he discussed reform and cooperation.
    At a news conference with the Belgian Foreign Minister Karo de Gucht later in the day Morales said the King understood Bolivia's decision and would help his country.
    "The King told me that he would speak to cooperation ministers to re-inforce cooperation with Bolivia," Morales said.
    De Gucht, however, said that although Belgium respected Bolivia's decision to nationalise its industries, as a sovereign state, he poured cold water on his political and economic project saying it would not work.
    "In my opinion, this decision for nationalisation is a mistake and will not work in practice," de Gucht said.
    Morales repeated his earlier message that the nationalisation was intended to better distribute the nation's wealth.
    "This nationalisation guarantees that investments will return to the people who will enjoy important benefits," Morales said.
    In his speech on Monday (May 15), Morales said that his move was an essential part of his programme to fight poverty in the second-poorest country of Latin America.
    He also reiterated comments that foreign energy companies would be able to remain in Bolivia as long as they renegotiated their contracts within a 180-day deadline.
    Morales thanked Belgium for its pledge of 7.5 million euros announced in the news conference by de Gucht.
    "We are very happy to get this help of 7.5 million euros and I respect it greatly," Morales said.
    Morales is the first indigenous leader of Bolivia to be elected president. He campaigned on a platform to reduce poverty and radically change Bolivian society.
    Morales said he would take action against mining companies that had not used their concessions and invested properly. The mining concessions owned by firms that invested and created jobs would be respected, he said.
    Morales also signalled he would consider nationalising coca production. He also called on EU leaders to tackle the problem of banking secrecy, which he said contributed to drug trafficking.
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