MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur, Arab Presidential Summit to take place in May

The South American and Arab countries Presidential Summit to take place in May in Brazil seeks to conquer markets without “scandalous subsidies in farming products” -as is the case in the US and the EU, ? according to the head of the bloc's representative commission, Eduardo Duhalde.

"We have to work within new world trade geography. Multilateralism has to take root, we have to seek out markets that are compatible with our products, and in addition, penetrate markets without such scandalous subsidies on farming products such as the US and European markets," said Duhalde to define some of the goals of the summit, which will take place between May 8 and 11 in Brasilia.

In radio statements from Marrakesh where a meeting was held last Thursday in preparation for the summit, Duhalde highlighted the negotiations that he carried out along with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio "Lula" Da Silva, in a recent tour of Arab countries, during which the May summit was scheduled.

At the summit, heads of state and businessmen will pursue political, economic, and cultural goals, through a closer and deeper rapport between South America and the Arab world.

Foreign Affairs ministers were discussing in Marrakesh the contents of the document that the presidents will sign, which will be known as the Brasilia Declaration.

Among the Latin American participating countries will be Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. On the Arab side, officials from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, Irak, Jordan, Lebanon, Lybia, Morocco, Mauritaine, Oman, the National Palestinian Authority, Quatar, Sirya, Sudan, Somalia, and Tunis will be in attendance, plus delegates from the Arab League.

The ministers will meet again on May 9, before the summit, with the goal of approving the final documents to be signed by the presidents.

Among the issues that will be discussed at the summit is the creation of spaces for the exchange and coordination of economic matter and improving south-south cooperation, with respect to trade, tourism, and investment