June 30, 2008 "The new mining law is the result of dialogue" 12:20 (17:20 GMT) The Executive already received last Friday the new mining bill, reported today, Monday, the minister of Mines and Petroleum Galo Chiriboga, who stressed that the new law is the result of dialogue between the portfolio of state and various social sectors. Galo Chiriboga noted that the new law includes a much stricter environmental regulation to control the use of water and other natural resources. This law reflects the interests of various social sectors "including environmentalists," said the official in an interview on television station Ecuavisa. The holder of the portfolio of Mines and Petroleum noted that mining not depend on the approval of communities and local governments and that "the interests of communities do not always represent the interests of the country." However, a portion of the profits will be given to communities and local governments to compensate the environmental impact, stressed Chiriboga. Moreover, the President of the Chamber of Mines, Cesar Espino, said the new law "was discussed behind closed doors between the minister and other government officials." According to Espina, the House was confined to submit proposals "who knows whether or not they were included in the new bill." "Not participating in the dialogue because we believe that everything was arranged," he stressed. (AFL)