The ALBA countries underpin block and outline an economic zone

The Bolivarian Alliance for the peoples of America (ALBA) yesterday concluded its 11th ordinary Summit with a view to continue to grow in number, the creation of an economic zone, the establishment of permanent positions in the Agency and political reaffirmations of support for Cuba and Argentina.

Heads of State received separate requests for Saint Lucia and Suriname on the last day to begin the process of joining the mechanism currently consisting of eight countries: Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.

The second day of the 11th Summit of the ALBA, held since Saturday in Caracas, went without that media access to part of the discussions, unlike the day before when the Cuban President, Raúl Castro, joked about his little hobby that the talks were open to the public.

At the last meeting, the Presidents, already without the presence u000athe Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correa, who left Caracas after the first session, agreed to move forward in the establishment of a permanent Executive Secretary, who shall be appointed by Venezuela.

Also defined the appointment of a coordinator of economic policy to give follow-up to the agreements of ALBA and that belt announced that the Ecuadorian Economist Diego Borja would serve.

Proposal
Bolivian President Evo Morales took advantage of his speech yesterday to also propose the creation of a Council of defence of ALBA, which allow progress in the creation of a "new doctrine" for countries that are part of the mechanism under criteria "anti-capitalist" and "anti-imperialist".

. The chairpersons welcomed the decision favorably but opted to make a preliminary study before making a decision. The host President, Hugo Chavez, on the other hand suggested the possibility that the countries of the mechanism u000athey can make joint military maneuvers in the future. Which Yes was accepted was the request of Saint Lucia and Suriname to begin the process of incorporation at the dawn, that starting from today will be linked as a permanent special guests, a status which already has Haiti, present at the meeting of Caracas through its President, Michel Martelly.

However, the most relevant of the Summit occurred on the night of Saturday, when at the instigation of Correa, the Presidents agreed assess sanctions against the United Kingdom by its position in relation to the dispute with Argentina by the Falkland.

Also on the initiative of the Ecuadorian representative, resolved to convene a meeting in Havana to study if attending the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) April where Cuba was not invited. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, said yesterday that the case "has given a change" u000a"qualitative" functions of ALBA, has adopted specific measures related to the circumstances facing the countries of the region.

Other agreements of the Summit BOLIVARIAN
countries of the Bolivarian Alliance approved, moreover, on Saturday a special scheme of aid to Haiti, health and education as priorities, and set a meeting of Foreign Ministers to address the issue the next 2 and 3 March in the Haitian town of Jacmel.

There was also a declaration of support for Syria, with a release in which eight member countries condemned the "systematic policy of interference" in Syria and support the initiatives of the Government of Bashar Al-Assad to overcome the crisis in the country.

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