08:36 | Paramaribo, Aug. 29 (ANDINA).
Peruvian Foreign Minister Eda Rivas has traveled to Suriname to meet with her counterparts from the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) Thursday in preparation for the upcoming leaders' summit.
During their meeting, the ministers will discuss the draft of the final declaration of Friday's 7th Summit of Leaders of the 12-member group.
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala is expected to attend the summit in Paramaribo and hand over the rotating presidency of Unasur to Suriname for the 2013-2014 period.
The summit will mark the return of Paraguay to the group and also honor the memory of deceased Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a great promoter of Latin American integration.
Paraguay was suspended from Unasur and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) in June 2012 following the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo by the Paraguayan Senate.
According to Ike Antonious, head of the Suriname delegation, the summit will address the development of a strategic vision for Unasur, the institutional strengthening of the secretariat as well as establishing work groups on human rights and youth affairs.
He added that the Paramaribo declaration will include statements of the Falklands/Malvinas Argentine claim, the Middle East situation and the peace process in Colombia.
Founded in 2008, Unasur is made up of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.
(END) INT/AND/EEP
Published: 8/29/2013