Argentina assumed the Mercosur pro tempore presidency on Tuesday at a summit that began marked by tension and ended with a commitment to dialogue and debate.
Uruguay’s request to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Treaty (CPTPP) caused Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay to warn it days ago that they will take action if that country insists on negotiating a free trade agreement outside the bloc.
However, in his final speech after taking the reins of Mercosur, the Argentine president, Alberto Fernández, celebrated that the objective of his Uruguayan counterpart, Luis Lacalle Pou, is to see how the situation improves.
“Beyond any difference, I like to hear you say, Luis, that in the end the goal is not to break anything, but to see how we improve the situation and I have to help you with that,” he asserted.
In addition, after a suggestion made by the Uruguayan president at the beginning of the summit, Fernández said -beyond the speeches- that they should give themselves “time for debate” and emphasized that this is something that should change for the next instance. since it is “enriching”.
OPEN TO THE WORLD
During the first speech of the day held at the Mercosur headquarters, located off the coast of Montevideo, Lacalle Pou referred to his country’s vocation to “open up to the world” and invited the other members of the bloc to accompany him.
Before that, the president took a few minutes to wish Argentina and Brazil success in the matches they will play this week for the quarterfinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
«Of course, if we go in a group it is much better. Of course, if we offer the world a market like that of the four countries, we will have much greater negotiating power. That’s what we’re looking for,” he said.
In accordance with this, he reviewed that his country is negotiating with China to be able to sign a Free Trade Agreement and indicated that when he reaches that instance he will look to the side to encourage Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay to follow in his footsteps.
After this, Fernández said in his first speech that the solution to Mercosur’s problems is not for each one to do “their own” and called to “respect the rules” of the bloc.
“It matters more to me to trade with Brazil, it matters much more to me to buy from Uruguay than to buy from countries outside the zone, it matters more to me to buy from Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, rather than from countries outside the zone and that is what In any case, we have to sit down to discuss, not see the way for each one to take their own impulse, “remarked the president of Argentina.
RESPECT AND SOLIDARITY
On the other hand, Brazil called for respect for the bloc’s fundamental treaties and for the unity of the member countries, while expressing its intention and readiness for external negotiations that benefit its members as a whole.
“We are ready from Brazil to discuss in different modalities of negotiations in the instances that are pertinent within the bloc and always observing compliance with our fundamental treaties and the rule of consensus, seeking solutions that meet the interests of all,” said the vice president of that country, Hamilton Mourao.
Likewise, the president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, called for “solidarity” so that that country can “access competitive markets in the world” and assured that this nation “is making an enormous effort to be a strong and reliable partner.”
In this way, Argentina assumed the pro tempore presidency with the intention of “working hard to resolve the asymmetries” in the semester that the bloc will lead before handing over the post to Brazil.
Source: EFE.
