Hello Been There,

I have to agree with you about Indonesia not being like Ecuador!

Suharto was as greedy and corrupt as a ruler can get in my opinion...Correa is really a catalyst politician, who is trying to bring his country up out of impoverishment and into the 21st century.

There are quite a few groups in Ecuador that would like to see "the Old Guard" of the wealthy elite regain power in any way they can, (since they missed out in the popular votes in the last elections)and then there are the environmentalists, who just want the rain forrest to stay the way it is forever...and don't seem to care if the native tribes don't have electricity or running water...."Let them eat cake!"as Marie Antoinette once said...and look where it got her!

The only "Behind closed doors" talks that might have implications in regards to ARU .... would be the ones that were held with the Chinese just months ago....I'm sure that they talked about the new port, oil, the U.S. airbase that could be used in the future( after the Americans are kicked out)....and lots about mining!... probably most about copper, which is what they will desperately need for their infra-structure growth that their population will demand...but also GOLD! which would be near by the other mines and transportation....and that they dearly "love" to possess!

Best Regards,

Long for Cash

I think the last few days show that the "Big Boys" think that the Negotiations are near to being done, and that they better have their "ducks in a row" moneywise, before the bidding gets ready to get going...which I believe will be real soon now!