MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Chinese delegation ‘surprised’ Minister Almagro was absent when PM Wen Jiabao visited Uruguay
Where is the minister? This is once in a lifetime visit of a Chinese PM The Chinese delegation of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao that spent over a day in Uruguay and signed several cooperation agreements felt “disappointed” with the fact that the Foreign Minister was not present during the visit.
According to Uruguayan parliament sources, members of the Chinese delegation were “surprised” and “disappointed” that the main foreign policy official of the country was absent during the visit of P; Wen Jiabao and was replaced by his Deputy.
Although there was no official complaint the message came through particularly since the Uruguayan Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro not only was ambassador in Beijing but was recently in China as part of the preparations for close cooperation, trade and investment links between the two countries, and the visit was part of the arrangements.
Wen Jiabao has spent almost two weeks in Latin America, he attended the G20 summit in Mexico, later the UN Rio+20 sustainable development summit in Brazil and later travelled to Uruguay, Argentina and his next stop is Chile.
“How come the Foreign minister is not present”, asked an official from Chinese protocol, “where is he?
“Almagro is currently in Paraguay and was unable to be present”, was the reply.
“But that is a domestic affair, why should he be there? Isn’t Paraguay a domestic problem? Why we were not informed he would be absent? A Prime Minister visit is a once in a lifetime opportunity” said the Chinese official in amicable terms.
In effect, Almagro was part of the Mercosur Foreign ministers’ delegation sent to Asuncion to try and mediate in the Paraguayan political crisis.
Minister Almagro was replaced by his deputy Roberto Conde during the visit of the Chinese delegation to Uruguay, headed by PM Wen Jiabao, the first time such a high ranking Beijing official stepped Uruguayan soil.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsWTF was Almagro doing in Paraguay that could not be done by his deputy?
Jun 25th, 2012 - 02:59 pm 0The Chinese put great importance on 'face' and this clearly is a slap across the face for them. And for no reason.
Will Paraguay build the deep sea port if China says FU to Uruguay?
Just when I thought Pepe had got his act together, he allows this cock-up to happen. Dear, dear me!
TWIMC
Jun 25th, 2012 - 05:32 pm 0All the money in my wallet (about 160 AR$) on the turnip above returning to England before the end of 2014............
@2
Jun 25th, 2012 - 07:41 pm 0I don't think so 'I don't Think! (aka The Turnip in Chief).
You have more chance of that old French/ hacked Russkie 'Navigator Watch' starting to work again instead of telling perfect time twice a day!
And, if that is all the money you have in your wallet (currently US$ 10 or so is it?) then I should go back to Chile to shovel bird crap, but don't tell them your real name or you will never get back in.
Try again, I don't think you won that one, what next 'I don't Think'?
Ha, ha, ha.
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