Bolivia, US seek to heal wounded ties

LA PAZ — Top Bolivian and U.S. officials sought to heal their nations' strained relations Thursday in their first meeting since a raucous protest outside the American embassy sent the U.S. ambassador back to Washington for security consultations.

"We want to resolve the problems that exist, and in order to do that, we have to admit there are problems," U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg told reporters after meeting with Bolivian Defense Minister Walker San Miguel for talks both called "positive."

The meeting was the first between U.S. and Bolivian officials since demonstrators mobbed the U.S. embassy in La Paz on June 9 to protest reports that the U.S. had granted asylum to former Bolivian Defense Minister Carlos Sanchez Berzain, who directed a military response to anti-government protests that resulted in at least 60 deaths in 2003.

The U.S. government does not comment on asylum requests. But The Associated Press obtained a copy of Sanchez Berzain's asylum application showing it was approved by the U.S. on April 18, 2007.

Goldberg was temporarily called to Washington following the violence.

In his absence, farmers loyal to President Evo Morales drove workers for the USAID development agency from a coca-growing region in central Bolivia, accusing them of aiding government opponents. Morales has repeated that claim various times, but neither Goldberg nor San Miguel addressed it publicly on Thursday.

"This dialogue ended in a positive way in the sense that it's going to open this channel for a new agenda," said San Miguel.

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