Tabaré Vázquez and Hillary Clinton express concern that recent weapons purchases could lead to an arms raceHow about Ms Clinton and the United States put "in place procedures to ensure that weapons they buy are not diverted to insurgent groups or illegal organisations like drug trafficking gangs and other cartels" regarding their own transactions? (Iran-Contra, Iraq/Iran, Afghanistan/USSR, etc.)
Uruguay and the United States expressed concern today that recent weapons purchases could lead to an arms race in South America.
In a joint appearance, Tabaré Vázquez, Uruguay's president, and Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, also pledged cooperation on trade.
Clinton singled out Venezuela, urging it to disclose its arms purchases and make clear what they are for. She said: "They should be putting in place procedures to ensure that weapons they buy are not diverted to insurgent groups or illegal organisations like drug trafficking gangs and other cartels."
"We hope that we can see a change in behaviour and attitudes on the part of the Venezuelan government."
Vázquez said he feared that an arms race in the region could divert funds from economic development in the poor countries of the region. "We believe that it is quite inconvenient to the region to devote such significant economic resources for purchasing arms," he said, speaking through an interpreter.
Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's president, said on Sunday that Russia has opened a $2.2bn line of credit with which his country could buy weapons. He said Venezuela needed more arms because it felt threatened by Colombia's decision to give US troops greater access to its military bases.
Address : http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/15/uruguay-arms-race-venezuela
You know, if you want to demand "transparency" from others, you might consider a little transparency of your own. You self-righteous pot calling kettle black a$$h0le.
