SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Shakira and the son of an ex-president of Argentina have talked about marriage but are waiting for now, his father was quoted Thursday as saying.

Former President Fernando de la Rua told Dominican newspaper Listin Diario the 29-year-old hip-shaking singer and his son, Antonio, have talked about marriage and raising a family but have no immediate plans to tie the knot.

"They prefer to wait," de la Rua said. "Kids today would rather live as a couple, they don't believe that marriage is necessary to be happy."

Shakira and de la Rua's son have been dating for five years.

De la Rua, in the Caribbean country for a conference, called Shakira "a lover of peace" who is concerned about those less fortunate than herself.

"Shakira is a very good woman, she is very loving to her parents and with her in-laws as well," he said.

Shakira is on tour with her most recent release, "Oral Fixation," with plans to play in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and her native Colombia in the coming weeks.