拜登：美国愿意作为观察员加入太平洋联盟（在线收听）

 拜登：美国愿意作为观察员加入太平洋联盟

　　BOGOTA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said here Monday that the United States is willing to join the Pacific Alliance as an observer country.

　　Biden made the remarks during talks with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

　　"Vice President Biden expressed the United States' willingness to become an observer country in the Pacific Alliance," Santos said.

　　Santos said that Colombia "will certainly support" the U.S. application and discuss it with the other member countries when the Council of Ministers meet in the near future.

　　The Pacific Alliance approved the entry of Costa Rica as its permanent member during its seventh summit last week in the western Colombian city of Cali.

　　The Pacific Alliance, whose permanent members also include Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, is a Latin American mechanism formally launched on June 6, 2012. Its main goal is to boost growth, promote economic integration within member states and develop new trade links with the Asia-Pacific region.