21:57
Tieng Anh Vui
Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca has called on those responsible for banning President Evo Morales's plane from European airspace on Tuesday to be punished.
He said the issue will be discussed later at a South American summit.
The plane was forced to land in Austria after several European nations refused transit through their airspace.
There were unfounded suspicions that fugitive American intelligence analyst Edward Snowden was on board.
"We feel hurt, offended and outraged. This is an aggression against democracy and the peaceful coexistence of nations," Mr Choquehuanca told BBC Mundo.
Mr Morales was returning from a visit to Moscow in the presidential jet.
Mr Snowden is believed to be holed up at the transit area of the airport - and to have been there since he fled Hong Kong.
France has apologised for the incident, blaming it on "conflicting information".
French President Francois Hollande said he granted permission as soon as he knew it was Mr Morales' plane.
"Statements are not enough. We expect those responsible for these unacceptable, offensive and abusive actions to be identified and punished," said Mr Choquehuanca.
A meeting of the Unasur regional groups is due to take place in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba later on Thursday.
Mr Morales will be joined by the presidents of Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Suriname and representatives of other South American countries.
'Neo-colonial attitude'
Mr Choquehuanca described the incident as an act of aggression by European countries which exhibited what he called neo-colonial attitudes.
"There was a violation of international treaties and the Vienna Convention, as well as of our president's human rights."
"European countries must explain why they continue with a neo-colonial attitude in the 21st Century," Mr Choquehuanca told the BBC.
The episode sparked angry reactions from heads of state across Latin America.
- Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner referred to "not only the humiliation of a sister country, but of the South American continent".
- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Twitter: "I reaffirm all our solidarity with Evo [Morales] and from Venezuela, with dignity, we will respond to this dangerous, disproportionate, and unacceptable aggression."
- Ecuador's President Rafael Correa tweeted: "We express our solidarity with Evo [Morales] and the brave Bolivian people."
- A statement by Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff said: "The embarrassment to President Morales hits not only Bolivia, but all of Latin America."
Demonstrators marched on the French embassy in La Paz, burning the French flag and demanding the expulsion of the ambassador to Bolivia.
Austrian officials said the airport authorities had searched the plane, but with Mr Morales' permission.
But the Bolivian government denied any search had taken place.
The plane took off from Vienna on Wednesday morning and it arrived back in La Paz on Wednesday night.
President Morales was received at the airport by a huge crowd.
"I feel they have begun provocative action against our continent. But we will never be intimidated. They will not scare us," Mr Morales said in a speech at the airport.
Security analyst Edward Snowden has requested asylum to many countries.
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca confirmed that Bolivia is considering a request from Mr Snowden.
"We are analysing this. But US intelligence is failing. They probably believe he is now on Bolivian territory," said Mr Choquehuanca.
Đăng ký: Tieng Anh Vui
Posted in: 
0 comments:
Post a Comment