MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur-EU “4+4” summit in the agenda

Argentine president Nestor Kirchner and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder considered the possibility of calling a 4 + 4 summit (Germany, Spain, France and United Kingdom, plus Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Chile) to re-launch the stalled European Union-Mercosur trade negotiations.

Mr. Kirchner made the announcement in Germany where he's on an official state visit after having met with Chancellor Schroeder.

"I've been talking about the issue with Spanish president Rodriguez Zapatero, a great friend and today I did so with Chancellor Schroeder?and we've been thinking about a 4+4 meeting".

EU would be represented by Spain's Rodriguez Zapatero; Germany, Chancellor Schroeder; France, President Jacques Chirac and Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair. On the South American side, Lula da Silva, Brazil; Tabare Vazquez, Uruguay; Ricardo Lagos, Chile and Mr. Kirchner from Argentina.

Mr. Kirchner advanced that the meeting would try to reach an agreement in agriculture, Mercosur's permanent demand, and increase relations in other fields such as economic and cultural issues.

"A more intense relation between Latinamerica and the EU is essential to help build a new international order and open a new chapter in multilateralism", said Mr. Kirchner.

Mr. Schroeder has earlier expressed respect for the Kirchner administration achievements in stabilizing the Argentine economy, and Mr. Kirchner thanked Germany for their constant support and solidarity even in the hardest of times, recalling that the German Chancellor was the only world leader who had the courage to visit Argentina "in the most bitter moments of the last decade".

Meantime in Strasbourg, seat of the European Parliament, the European Foreign Affairs Commissar Benita Ferrero Waldner met with Paraguay's Foreign Affairs Minister Leila Rachid and reiterated their commitment to reactivate trade negotiations that remain frozen since last October. However no dates were mentioned.

Paraguay currently holds the six months chair of Mercosur.