Uruguay will receive the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur from Paraguay this Thursday, June 02.06.2020, 19, amid the Covid-XNUMX pandemic that is spreading in Latin America.
The presidents of Argentina, Alberto Fernández; of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro; of Paraguay, Mario Abdo; and of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, intend to put aside their political differences and concentrate on strengthening new markets for their exports, mainly agricultural.
Due to the pandemic, for the first time the meeting is not being held in person and is being held via teleconference.
La Mercosur's flexibilisation, which does not allow its members to make commercial agreements without the consent of their partners, is a central theme of the agenda that Uruguay will promote the bloc as the new person in charge of the pro tempore presidency until December.
"It would be a mistake to let our differences take precedence," stressed Uruguayan Ernesto Talvi at the meeting of foreign ministers on Wednesday, who proposed designing mechanisms of differentiated speed as a format in the future, overcoming ideologies.
Argentina is reluctant to open trade to countries that are exporting powers and maintains that its main priority is to solve its foreign debt problem.
New markets
The leaders must review the status of the free trade agreement reached last year with the European Union (EU) and with the countries of the efta (European Free Trade Agreement). These treaties are pending ratification by the parliaments of each country.
President of Paraguay, host of the meeting, announced that it will ask its Mercosur partners to "intensify economic diplomacy to increase and diversify exports«.
Foreign Minister Antonio Rivas also urged a regular reflection on the effectiveness of the bloc's institutions, "even eliminating them if they lack the capacity to serve the process."
The chancellor of Brazil, Fernando Araújo said that his government "wants a proposal for negotiations, as soon as possible, with Central America and Caribbean and close (the agreements) with the Pacific alliance«.
He also said that Brazil wants to reach agreements with Canada, South Korea, Singapore and Lebanon, as well as explore pacts with Indonesia and Vietnam.
Before the end of the meeting, the Presidents will consider the approval of some 50 rules of a commercial and tariff nature, including a tariff reduction in response to the pandemic.
The summit will also be attended by presidents of countries associated with Mercosur, such as Sebastián Piñera, from Chile; Jeanine Añez, from Bolivia; and Iván Duque, from Colombia; and as a special guest, the Spanish Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union.
Source: AFP
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