MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

First 4+1 round

Trade officials from Mercosur and United States pledged this week in Washington to build stronger trade ties to foster economic growth and development in the area, in the framework of the “four plus one” format.

In a joint statement Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, together with the United States announced the establishment of several working groups in key areas: agricultural trade, industrial trade, and investment and electronic commerce.

Mercosur Foreign Affairs Ministers and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick also pledged to work together in the launching of a new trade talks round to be held next November in Qatar under the framework of the World Trade Organization, WTO, and to redouble efforts regarding a Free Trade Area of the Americas to be concluded by 2005.

Mr. Zoellick said the four working groups would explore ways to facilitate trade on a bilateral basis as well as within the context of the WTO and the FTAA.

"In difficult times we want to ratify links between growth, free trade and economic stability", insisted Mr. Zoellick. "This is a clear signal that United States will continue developing its international links with Latinamerica and particularly with Mercosur", stressed Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Rodríguez Giavarini.

A further 4+1 meeting at similar level, has been scheduled before next December's Mercosur presidential summit in Montevideo.