According to Mondino, the change of president in Argentina will not be an “obstacle” to seeking a trade agreement with the EU although he clarified that in the dialogue “the “Brics.”
The future chancellor “he sees no advantages” in joining the Bricsafter the group of emerging countries accepted the Argentine Government to join as of January 1.
Milei’s support for the Mercosur – EU agreement
“We are together with Brazil and we talked about the importance of signing the Mercosur-European Union agreement and with other countries like Singapore,” he said Mondino when leaving the Itamaraty Palaceheadquarters of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazilwhere he met and had lunch with the chancellor Mauro Vieira, the first meeting with the government that will take office on December 10.
In mid-October, President Alberto Fernández had announced, after meeting with the head of the New Brics Development Bank (NDB), Dilma Rousseff, that Argentina “has begun the process of joining” that organization.
At the moment, Brazil has the rotating presidency of Mercosur and seeks to announce the agreement with the EU before December 7, as Lula anticipated last Tuesday.
Mondino spoke about the relationship Milei and Lula
Besides, Mondino denied that Milei has personal problems with Lula: “Criticism of ideology is one thing, the person is another thing. This is different and we must separate the States, the Government and the people. The relationship with Brazil will continue in the best and fastest way we can.”
The elected representative Mondino brought Foreign Minister Vieira a letter from Milei inviting Lula to the inauguration on December 10. “I will deliver the letter of invitation to President Lula,” he said. for his part, Vieira during a statement to the press after the meeting with Mondino.
According to Vieira, this first contact was “very productive” since Mondino said he wants a “bigger and improved Mercosur.”
“We discussed issues of the Brazil-Argentina bilateral relationship, issues of Mercosur and issues of regional relations. For example we talk about bioceanic corridors, We talk about the external negotiations of the Mercosur and of the expansion of the decisions of the Mercosur, We want a larger and improved Mercosur to benefit regional integration,” he explained.
Vieira was asked if Lula would attend the presidential inauguration, because first Milei invited the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, opponent of Lula, who will travel with a delegation of more than 20 people.
“We cannot decide who should be invited, there is no problem of any kind with guests. Especially since there are different treatments for guests and guests who are heads of state”Vieira assured.
Source: Ambito
