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Bill Richardson: I'd Meet With Hugo Chavez
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Monday that U.S. foreign policy's concentration on the Middle East cost the country progress on other important issues and that Latin America has been virtually ignored. "My point is that Latin America is a very important part of the world," Richardson said, adding that he would meet with leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as part of a broader Latin American policy plan. Calling President Bush's recent trip to the region "a little late," Richardson, who is Hispanic, said the U.S. needs to be "associated with policies of democratic populism in Latin America." "We're not," he said. "We have to pay more attention to Latin America by being there."
Story Continues Below The Democratic presidential candidate also told reporters he would meet with Iran and Syria. "If you're going to have peace in the Middle East, if you're going to bring some kind of resolve, result to the Iraqi crisis, you've got to think regionally," Richardson said. "You should meet with Iran and Syria. You don't make peace with your friends. You make peace with your enemies." Richardson said he wanted to create a "new alliance for progress for Latin America," including economic assistance, loans to help the energy entrepreneurs as well as education, health care and nutrition.
"I would shift the focus of our assistance to Latin America, which I think is most important because it's our hemisphere," said Richardson.
© 2007 Associated Press.
Editor's note:
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