Randa Achmawi, special report for ANAB*
Cairo – Negotiations between the Mercosur, the customs union between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for a free trade agreement are only just beginning, but Brazil is already considering the expansion of the future free trade zone to the countries of the Maghreb (Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Morocco) and, in future, to all the Arab countries. This information was supplied to ANBA yesterday (30) by Ahmed Ben Helli, the secretary general of the League of Arab States, after a meeting between Arab and South American diplomats, which took place in Cairo so as to follow up the topics discussed at the summit that took place in Brazilian capital Brasilia in May 2005.
The negotiators of the South American bloc and of the GCC, the customs union that includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman – hope that the negotiation should end in 2006. The Mercosur is also negotiating tariff preference agreements with Egypt and Morocco. During the meeting in Cairo, Brazil suggested that a framework agreement start being negotiated so as to expand trade treaties in the future.
The meeting included the participation of delegations from most of the Arab and South American countries. Only representatives from Colombia and Suriname did not show up. The Brazilian mission was headed by ambassador Pedro Motta, head of the Africa Department at the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty). Specialists in the economic, social, scientific and cultural area also showed up. The discussions covered five main axes: political, economical, social, scientific cooperation, technological and cultural.
Further cooperation
In the economic area, it was decided that there will be a ministerial meeting in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, on April 25 and 26 next year. The meeting was already scheduled in the Brasília summit declaration, but a date has not yet been defined. "This is already a step I consider very positive, due to the fact of ministers in the economic area meeting," stated Pedro Motta.
Special attention was paid to the formulation of the minutes for the Quito meeting. "There are various proposals for the creation of mechanisms to provide incentives in both regions," stated Ben Helli. In the area of investment, the possibility of cooperation between institutions was raised, as was the need for cooperation between financial institutions, to favour initiatives in this area.
In the social area, discussions concentrated on the question of the fight against poverty and the completion of development projects in both regions. "Representatives from both regions proposed that, in the future, there be a new meeting with ministers in the social area," declared Ben Helli.
In terms of scientific and technological cooperation, the participants praised the Brazilian proposal of establishing a support network for the exchange of information in the area. "With regard to the environment, there was, for example, an appeal for the ministers responsible to seek mechanisms to solve problems like desertification, as well as means to find drinkable water," stated Ben Helli.
In the area of culture, the Algerian proposal for a meeting between ministers of Culture at the end of January, or the beginning of February 2006 was accepted. During the meeting other topics to be discussed include the creation of an Arab-South American Library and a research centre, which are ideas included in the Brasília Declaration.
Those participating also discussed the possibility of anticipating the next meeting of Foreign Ministers to 2006. Initially it was scheduled for 2007.
With regard to the political field, it was decided that the Arab and South American countries are going to supply material and logistics support to the Palestinian people to help them in the reconstruction of their country. "The support to peace in Sudan was also discussed and the group also showed optimism regarding the most recent meeting for promotion of reconciliation in Iraq, which took place between November 19 and 21, at the offices of the Arab League," finished off Ben Helli.
*Translated by Mark Ament
