Planting the Seeds: Melanie Jiménez, and Danielle Zúñiga, both 11, prepared the ground to plant 12 trees yesterday at InBioparque, in Santo Domingo de Heredia, north of San José. These were the first trees to be planted as part of a campaign launched by Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles to plant five million trees in Costa Rica this year.

Salvadoran President Elías Antonio Saca joined other Central American leaders yesterday in voicing his respect for Costa Rica's establishing diplomatic ties with China and, in turn, severing relations with Taiwan.

Free Workshops for Children
“Little Writers,” (9-12 years old), today and June 16, 2 p.m., Librería Francesa, Curridabat. To register, call Evelyn Ugalde 305-6074.

Vacaciones Felices Program
Camp at Children's Museum for the July vacation period, for kids 5-13, ends today, also July 9-13. Registration: 258-4929, ext. 113, 114.

“Pay it forward” Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser
Organized by Helping Hands Costa Rica, 8:30 a.m.­12 p.m., Big Mike's, Los Anonos, Escazú. Info: 289-6087.

Milonga
By Fantasía Tango, 6 p.m., Rincón de las Hortensias Restaurant, 800 meters northeast of Coronado Church. Info: 385-9331, 285-4143.

Bob Benjamin Zúñiga performs
6:30 p.m., Father Rooster, Ocotal.

Celebrating the World Blood Donation
10 a.m.-3 p.m., National Children's Museum. Info: 258-4929.

TEC Long Distance Race
12 km., 9 a.m., Technology Institute, Cartago, registration through June 9 at Centro Sport, San José, Ave. 2. Info: 550-2218.

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

An agreement signed by the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE) and the ministry's Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG) will allow for exploration of resources to produce geothermal energy in the community of Mundo Nuevo, in the northwestern Guanacaste province, according to ICE spokeswoman Rose Mary Monge.

“Now that the agreement is signed, we're able to initiate the research phase to see if there's the potential to build a geothermal plant in the area,” Monge said, explaining that no dates have been set for when the research phase will conclude.

The project is part of efforts by Costa Rica to become the first country to achieve a neutral balance of carbon emissions, such as carbon dioxide, to curb the greenhouse effect, according to a statement from ICE.

The agreement spells out the responsibilities of ICE and MINAE in the research; MINAE must make sure the region's biodiversity is protected, and ICE will carry out technical aspects, the statement said.

“We have abundant natural resources, but perhaps the nation is a bit behind in using them to serve the country 100%,” said ICE president Pedro Pablo Quirós, explaining his goal to make better use of natural resources for alternative forms of energy.

Costa Rica's geothermal production is concentrated near the Miravalles Volcano, also in Guanacaste, where five plants produce a total of 163.5 megawatts of electricity. ICE is developing another geothermal power project in Las Pailas, near Guancaste's Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, which is expected to begin functioning in 2010.

Until now, if a woman in Costa Rica wanted to undergo surgery to permanently prevent pregnancy, her only option was an operation to tie the fallopian tubes. But a new technique has become available that offers sterilization without invasive surgery or scars.

Costa Rica is becoming the first Central American country to practice this method, called Essure, which involves placing a micro-implant in each fallopian tube to prevent sperm from uniting with eggs and fertilizing them.

Costa Rican gynecologist Ronny Calderón, the only Central American doctor trained in this method, explained that Essure has been practiced for several years in the United States and Europe, especially in France and Spain.

In the rest of Latin America, the method is available in Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Chile and Uruguay.

The procedure is very simple, Calderón said. First, a flexible tube five millimeters in diameter is inserted into the vagina. This tube contains a camera lens less than three millimeters wide.

Through a monitor, the doctor finds the uterus and entrance to the fallopian tubes, where he places a micro-implant, made of titanium and nickel, in each tube.

This causes a scarring of the fallopian tube within three months of the implant being inserted, and this prevents sperm from being able to unite with eggs.

The procedure is safe and easy and does not require surgery or anesthesia, Calderón said. It takes about 20 minutes, and is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

More than 500,000 women have been sterilized using this method, he said, and no complications have been reported so far. Only women who are allergic to titanium or nickel do not qualify.

Calderón said he hopes to train other Costa Rican gynecologists in this technique and for it to eventually be available at public hospitals.

-ACAN-EFE

Salvadoran President Elías Antonio Saca joined other Central American leaders yesterday in voicing his respect for Costa Rica's establishing diplomatic ties with China and, in turn, severing relations with Taiwan.

“In the first place, we respect the sovereign decision of the Costa Rican government and its President to establish relations with China. El Salvador's position is to maintain relations with Taiwan,” Saca said in a press conference.

The Presidents of Guatemala, Honduras and Panama also expressed their “respect” for Costa Rica's decision yesterday.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias announced Wednesday that Costa Rica had established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC), a move which automatically breaks off its relations with the Republic of China ( Taiwan ), which the PRC regards as illegitimate, and ends almost six decades of cooperation between Costa Rica and Taiwan.

Saca said Costa Rica's decision will “in no way” affect Central American integration because “each country makes the decisions that suit it best.”

“In El Salvador, we're going to continue our relations with Taiwan, without conditions, and we would gladly open relations with China,” if China allowed the country to maintain relations with Taiwan, Saca said.