THE EUROPEAN UNION COULD PUSH AHEAD WITH TRADE TALKS WITH ONLY THREE OF THE FOUR ANDEAN COMMUNITY COUNTRIES IF BOLIVIA DECIDES NOT TO TAKE PART, PERU'S PRESIDENT ALEJANDRO TOLEDO TOLD REUTERS ON FRIDAY. BOLIVIA'S NEW LEFT-WING GOVERNMENT HAS EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT JOINING ITS ANDEAN PARTNERS PERU, ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA IN THE TALKS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. "WE DON'T WANT TO EXCLUDE ANYONE. FOUR IS BETTER THAN THREE, BUT, IF ONE PULLS OUT, IT WON'T BE OUR PROBLEM," TOLEDO TOLD REPORTERS AFTER A SUMMIT OF EUROPEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN LEADERS IN VIENNA. HE HAS MADE TRADE AGREEMENTS A CENTREPIECE OF HIS SOON-TO-END ADMINISTRATION AND A DEAL WITH THE UNITED STATES IS AWAITING PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL. THE EU, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS POLICY OF JUST NEGOTIATING WITH REGIONS, HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID IT CANNOT LAUNCH FULL TALKS WITH THE ANDEAN GROUP IF ITS MEMBERS REMAIN DIVIDED ON WHETHER TO TAKE PART. THE EU AND THE ANDEANS ON FRIDAY AGREED TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR "A PROCESS LEADING TO THE NEGOTIATION OF AN ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT" AND SET A JULY 20 DEADLINE FOR AGREEING TERMS OF THE TALKS, GIVING BOLIVIA MORE TIME TO DECIDE IF IT WILL TAKE PART. A EUROPEAN COMMISSION SPOKESMAN SAID BRUSSELS STILL FAVOURED HAVING TALKS WITH ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF THE GROUP. --MORE
