Kwasniewski visits four South American countries

President Aleksander Kwasniewski's four-country tour of South America is currently underway. He has already visited Chile and Brazil. "[Kwasniewski] promised to support Rio de Janeiro's candidacy to host the 2012 Olympic games," wrote Folha de S. Paulo, a Brazilian newspaper. In Sao Paulo Kwasniewski encouraged businessmen to invest in Poland. In Santiago de Chile on Thursday, the President praised Poland's development of a market economy and warned of nostalgia for the egalitarianism of socialism. Kwasniewski, together with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, announced the signing of a declaration on cooperation in promoting human rights and the wars on terrorism and organized crime. "This is the only way to enliven our relations with the countries of Latin America," said the Polish ambassador to Brazil, Jacek Hinz. "It is of more importance now, when joining the European Union, with which the South American countries are strengthening their economic ties." President Kwasniewski is now expected to visit Columbia and Peru. (Gazeta Wyborcza, April 13-14, p. 4) A.K.