MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FTAA 2005, a “realistic” goal.

Chilean Minister of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza said it was realistic to believe that the Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, could be signed and operative for 2005, according to schedule.

"Technically it's possible. There's no reason why it shouldn't, if the main obstacles are eliminated", said Mr. Insulza who is currently in Mexico participating in the IV Europe-Latinamerica Encounter.

Mr. Insulza added that in the coming FTAA ministerial meeting in Miami, scheduled for 14/21 November, "Chile expects concessions to be made on all sides, particularly from the United States.

"We're determined that the talks are successful, however we anticipate difficulties because different groups have problems in making reciprocal concessions", indicated the Chilean official adding that in FTAA "we have no G-20"in reference to the Brazil-India-China sponsored group of emerging countries that conditioned advances in the recent Cancun World Trade Organization September talks to agriculture concessions.

However Mr. Insulza was quick to point out that Chile does not consider the G-20 as "a confrontational group, the head of a developing countries gang that challenges and confronts the developed world". On the contrary "the main purpose of G-20 was to promote talks to help find a solution".

"This kind of confrontational attitude is useful to anybody", underlined Mr. Insulza.

Regarding hemispheric security, one of the points in the agenda, the Chilean representative said "we're all aware that the (security) system needs revamping, but we've just begun and are moving in the right direction".

Mr. Insulza also underlined that in spite of differences in the UN Security Council, particularly regarding the Iraq conflict, "Latinamerica as a whole remains unanimous in its commitment and respect for multilateralism".