Paraguay assumed the presidency of Mercosur on Thursday (21.12.2017) at the summit held by the bloc in Brasilia, a country that is still awaiting an agreement with the European Union (EU) and that has not forgotten Venezuela, whose situation continues to be a cause for concern.
"We have been seeking this agreement for 21 years and it is time for us to reach it," he said. Cartes upon receiving the rotating presidency of Mercosur by the Brazilian president, Michel Temer, host of the event, and in the presence of the presidents of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, and Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez.
To the Brasilia summit Also attending were the presidents of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and Guyana, David Granger, as well as representatives from Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Suriname, countries that maintain the status of associated states of the South American bloc.
When taking the floor at a summit that lasted just three hours, the biggest concern of the Mercosur leaders was the state of the negotiation with the EU, which everyone agrees is in its final stages, although it has not yet been finalized.
Macri He agreed and pointed out that "negotiation with the European Union is particularly relevant" because they are "complementary" regions and The EU is a "natural destiny" of a good part of South American exports.
The importance of a trade agreement with the EU was also underlined by Uruguayan Tabaré Vázquez, who was however a little less optimistic and put his finger on the sore point of the discord that could jeopardise a consensus.
According to Vázquez, Mercosur has taken on the negotiations with the EU "with strength, seriousness and responsibility" and has presented an offer covering 92% of its export universe, meaning that now the community bloc has the "final say".
But "despite our efforts, the agreement has not yet been finalized" and "what is missing is not minor," since it refers above all to meat and biofuels, which are "fundamental" for Mercosur, said the Uruguayan president.
Vazquez He said that the current moment of the negotiation "demands political leadership and decision-making" and warned that "Now Europe has the floor", demanding "responsibility, since it would be a huge frustration" if the negotiation failed again.
The four Mercosur leaders also agreed that the bloc must continue with its process of ""approach" to the Pacific Alliance, made up of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Source: Reuters
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