S.America countries join forces to fight crime

By Peter Blackburn, Boston.com-Reuters, 4/23/2003

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - South American defense ministers agreed at an inaugural meeting Wednesday to step up efforts to jointly fight international crime, drugs and arms smuggling.

''This first meeting strengthened our conviction that we have a joint future of peaceful collaboration,'' Brazil's Defense Minister, Jose Viegas, said at a news briefing.

It followed a decision last November by 34 Western Hemisphere defense ministers in Santiago, Chile, to support a U.S. proposal to combat terrorism.

Viegas said that ministers had agreed to improve the exchange of information on international criminals and aim to gradually standardize military equipment.

''It would enable the creation of regional joint ventures to take advantage of economies of scale,'' he said.

Chile, which is wary about using the military to combat drugs trafficking, gave general support.

''Our countries share common interests and democratic principles,'' said Chile's Defense Minister, Michelle Bachelet.

But Bachelet said that ministers needed to define what kind of security was needed.

South American countries differ over sea, land and air security priorities, perceptions of internal and external threat and if the army, paramilitary or police should be used.

Less than 10 years ago, South American countries were still locked in bloody border disputes.

Asked about regional security and arms spending after the U.S.-led war in Iraq, Viegas said it would have little impact as South America was strategically remote from the conflict.

''We are all convinced that orthodox threats of war are very remote. But we must be prepared to face new threats from illicit transnational activities such as drugs and arms,'' Viegas told Reuters afterward.

''We must do this as cohesively as possible. Each country has its own point of view ... but we face common problems,'' he added.

Viegas stressed the need to tighten joint air and land surveillance of the vast Amazon jungle, a largely deserted area greater than western Europe, to clamp down on drug and arms traffickers, illegal loggers and miners.

Brazil's Amazon borders on seven countries, including war-torn Colombia.

Ministers from nine south American countries met during a Latin American Defense Fair in Rio de Janeiro. Senior officials from Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana were also present.