MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur, top priority for Lula

Reconstruction of Mercosur, following its two largest members Argentina and Brazil economic crisis, will become “the main priority of our foreign policy”, wrote Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, most certainly Brazil's next president in this coming Sunday's runoff.

In a column published in the most important newspapers of Mercosur member countries, Mr. da Silva argues that Mercosur must be an area of convergence for industrial and agricultural policies; must conceive a strategy to build a common infrastructure for its members; integrate science and technology programs and anticipated if elected, he will create a regional Development Bank.

Taking the European integration as a model, "but not mechanically", Mercosur must have a concerted foreign policy to face the challenges of the Free Trade of the Americas Association, FTAA, "that Washington pretends to impose on the American continent", and besides must try to widen relations with the European Union and other world blocks, particularly those in South America.

"An integration policy with our neighbours is essential to make our region's interests strong in the framework of FTAA", underlines Mr. da Silva.

Further on Lula argues that as long as the current United States non tariff protectionist measures remain, Brazil will not agree to the FTAA, because "it will not become a free trade agreement, but an economic annexation process with very serious consequences for the productive structure of our countries".

"Compensation mechanisms are needed so the less structured economies of the region can take advantage of free trade".

Lula goes on to say that "our government will endeavour to keep economic, political and cultural relations with all nations. As far as the United States we want our links, not only in trade, but politically and culturally to increase".

Mr. da Silva points out that the United States represents 25% of Brazilian foreign trade and is the country's main single client.

"The same we pretend with the European Union and the Asian block with its axis in Japan". Finally Mr. da Silva reveals that "we will make a special effort towards Africa, an era of close links which correspond since Brazil is the second country in the world with the largest black population".