President Luis Lacalle Pou spoke at the LXIII Summit of Heads of State of the Mercosur which takes place in Rio de Janeiro and insisted on the need to advance in the “modernization of bilateral relations”, a key axis of the foreign policy line of Uruguay for the regional bloc. China and the agreement with the European Union (EU) were key issues that the president introduced at a time of transition of the command of the multilateral organization from the more protectionist Argentine and Brazilian position to a vision in line with the flexibility in the pro tempore presidency of Paraguay.
With prior thanks to the regional leaders present – and with a particular welcome to the Paraguayan president Santiago Peña and farewell to the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández -, Lacalle Pou began by talking about the “modernization” of Mercosur. And although he acknowledged that “there is already a process” in this sense in bilateral relations and in the agreements that the bloc carried out, for example, the one signed with Singapore; He noted that there is still work to be done.
“It is a sign, we are not stagnant, but we do look with a different face,” said the Uruguayan president, also referring to bilateral relations. “Next Monday, something very important to me is going to happen. The first is to keep our word, which should be the norm. When President Lula came to visit our country, one of the topics was the binational airport in Rivera, a new bridge over Yaguarón and the lagoon waterway that is entirely Brazilian territory. And with satisfaction I want to say that we are going to be keeping our promise,” he exemplified regarding the aforementioned advances.
“We have to look inward, trade inward, and when we look inward and improve, we have to trade inward. Otherwise we are toast,” said Lacalle Pou, giving an account of the differences that have existed in recent months between the Mercosur governments. on issues such as waterway tolls or obstacles to exports. “I have a trade balance deficit with the three countries. But overall the bloc’s participation in our foreign trade has decreased and China has grown, and other countries have grown,” he added.
Definitions about China
President Lacalle Pou asked at the Mercosur Summit that the other partner countries decide whether or not they want to go towards a free trade agreement with China and, furthermore, whether they accept that Uruguay negotiates bilaterally and at its own pace.
“I want us to be told the truth, what the will of the countries is. I believe that there is no will to advance in a free trade agreement with China. The truth is, like Mercosur. China asks that the other Mercosur countries not oppose and we all know that the foreign services spoke with China to warn that it would not be well received for Uruguay to advance unilaterally,” said Lacalle Pou in front of presidents Lula (Brazil), Alberto Fernández (Argentina) and Santiago Peña (Paraguay).
Then he asked: “Accept that we advance first and then Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina will come, or that we be told that there is not the slightest will to advance to a free trade agreement with China, then we know what we are playing and what to expect,” he added.
Lacalle at the Rio summit: “I think there is no will to advance free trade with China like Mercosur”
“What I want is for us to be told the truth, what the will of the countries is. I think there is no will to advance free trade with China like Mercosur. ‘We are going to hold on and we are all going together,’ and all together is not move forward,” the president said this Thursday in front of his peers in the bloc.
We need the other Mercosur countries not to oppose the agreement. That, said Lacalle Pou, is China’s message. “I don’t want to come in with great fanfare ‘let’s go to Uruguay and negotiate’, I just want them not to oppose it,” said the head of state. “And we all know that the respective foreign services have spoken with China to warn that it would not be well received for Uruguay to advance bilaterally,” he added.
“Accept, understand, that we advance first,” Lacalle asked the rest of the presidents present. Otherwise, he requested that it be reported that there is no desire to negotiate an FTA with China.
“We all have to win, that’s what it’s about,” the president said. “We are willing to bring some things to the rest of the countries because we understand what the claim of each of you is, what we ask is that we be understood,” he concluded his speech.
Source: Ambito
