MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico requests Mercosur associate membership.

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez, said this Wednesday in Paraguay that Mexico hopes in the near future to enjoy “full membership” in Mercosur.

"What Mexico is asking for is full membership. We know it's very complicated, it's not easy; but besides the economic and trade aspects, the political dialogue is an essential piece of Mercosur", stressed Mr. Derbez after meeting with Paraguayan Foreign Affairs Minister Leila Rachid.

Mr. Derbez revealed that the issue was brought up with Brazilian officials during the first leg of his official visit to the Southern Cone countries. From Paraguay Mr. Derbez is scheduled to travel to Uruguay and Argentina. "We want full participation in the political aspect, migration, trade agreement and almost everything else ... and now it will be up to Mercosur to tell us if this is what they want" emphasized the Mexican official.

Further on Mr. Derbez indicated that to start with, "at least temporarily, we would be satisfied with an associate membership similar to the one Chile enjoys", although the decision belongs to Mecosur authorities, as well as the necessary "steps" needed to reach such association status, also enjoyed by Bolivia and Peru.

Mr. Derbez anticipated that Mexican president Vicente Fox will formally state his country's position in the coming Mercosur presidential summit scheduled for June in Buenos Aires.

"Among Mexico's trade associates in Latin America and the Caribbean, the most important belong to Mercosur", said Mr. Derbez adding that Mexican investment in Mercosur will increase to 8 billion US dollars, equivalent to almost 40% of Mexico's investment in the region.

Finally Mr. Derbez said Mexico is interested in working simultaneously and multilaterally with Mercosur and the U.S.-sponsored Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA, scheduled to become effective in early 2005.