First anniversary of Morales' nationalisation of oil and gas reserves

Описание: (2 May 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Bolivian President Evo Morales walking among supporters, people shouting: "Evo, Evo"
2. Pan of supporters waving flags
3. Tilt down from balcony where Morales is speaking to man burning incense during indigenous ceremony
4. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Evo Morales, Bolivia President:
"If we really want to live in a dignified Bolivia then we must take the path of anti-imperialism, anti-liberalism and anti-colonialism my friends."
5. People clapping
6. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Evo Morales, Bolivia President:
"Business companies that follow Bolivian law will be welcomed and respected here. They ask us for justice and security, but this security needs to go both ways. If they respect Bolivian rules, we will respect their investments. If they don't respect us, then they have chosen their path and we will take our path toward defending our country's interests."
7. Medium of people cheering
8. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Evo Morales, Bolivia President:
"Long live May 1st, long live Bolivia, long live the indigenous peasant movement."
9. Wide of people waving flags
10. Wide of green, red and yellow (colours of the Bolivian flag) balloons being released next to presidential palace
11. Wide of supporters cheering
STORYLINE:
President Evo Morales marked the first anniversary of Bolivia's petroleum nationalisation on Tuesday by vowing to wrest still greater control of the Andean nation's economy from foreign companies.
At May Day festivities in La Paz, Morales threatened to seize Bolivian holdings of Italy's Telecom Italia and Brazilian state energy company Petrobras should nationalisation talks with the two companies fail.
"Business companies that follow Bolivian law will be welcomed and respected here. They ask us for justice and security, but this security needs to go both ways. If they respect Bolivian rules, we will respect their investments. If they don't respect us, then they have chosen their path and we will take our path toward defending our country's interests," Morales said from the balcony of the presidential palace.
Morales has ordered Telecom Italia SA to return its Bolivian subsidiary Entel, Bolivia's former state-run telephone company, to government hands.
He is also seeking to buy back Bolivia's only two oil refineries from Petroleo Brasileiro SA.
Morales had hoped to complete both nationalisations in time for Tuesday's International Workers' Day festivities, but a month of talks with Telecom Italia and more than a year of haggling with Petrobras have yet to produce an agreement.
Both companies have threatened international arbitration if Morales does not pay what they deem a fair price for their Bolivian assets.
On May 1, 2006, Morales ordered the surprise nationalisation of Bolivia's oil and gas industry, and a year later has only just finalised new contracts with foreign energy companies that give the state control of their operations and a larger share of their revenues.

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