This Monday, July 18, President Lacalle Pou, together with members of the Executive Power, participated in the commemorative acts of a new anniversary of the Swearing-in of the Constitution of the year 1830.
After the formal act, the president was consulted by the press about the progress of the signing of an FTA between Uruguay and China.
The president said that it should be clear at the stage in which the negotiations are, in this sense he explained that a feasibility study has been carried out in conjunction with a “positive” result. He added that, from now on, the phase that enables the negotiation of an FTA with China is open.
Lacalle Pou assured that this is not something new, because Uruguay, for many previous governments, has tried to establish an agreement of this type.
“We are convinced that the MERCOSUR regulations protect us. Also, there have already been some actions by other countries that have made decisions outside of the consensus,” he remarked.
We are not willing to stand still
The president pointed out that his idea is for MERCOSUR to advance together, because it has greater negotiating power than Uruguay, but he clarified that our country is not willing to stand still or freeze.
He added that the government’s intention is to open markets in order to find work for people and achieve prosperity.
He assured that first it is with China and then progress will be made with Turkey.
“I hope that at some point we can also move forward with the European Union, although I am not very optimistic,” he confessed.
Lacalle clarified that Uruguay is not proposing anything new. “In all the summits I commented on where Uruguay is going and before we talked with the different authorities of the member countries. No one can be surprised by what we have been trying to do for a long time.”
The president will officially announce the trade negotiations with China during the next MERCOSUR summit, scheduled for July 21, in which Paraguay will transfer the pro tempore presidency to Uruguay.
