MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain committed to resumption of EU/Mercosur free trade talks

Spain’s Secretary of State for Ibero-America Juan Pablo de Laigleisa begins Monday in Buenos Aires a visit to three Mercosur country members in preparation for when Madrid takes over the presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2010.

Mr de Laiglesia is expected to anticipate to Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay that Latinamerica and particularly Mercosur are among the main issues Spain will be promoting from the presidency of the EU.

A more immediate matter is the organization of the Ibero-Americas leaders summit scheduled to take place next December in Portugal.

Spain is particularly interested in advancing the stalled EU-Mercosur negotiations for a free trade agreement and to continue cooperation in political dialogue to address pressing world issues such as the global recession, changes to the workings of the international financial system, climate change and combating poverty.

Laiglesia was named to the post last April 17 when the reshuffle of the Spanish cabinet; before he was Secretary General of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation.

He arrives Monday in Buenos Aires where he will meet with Foreign Affairs minister Jorge Taiana; Tuesday he visits Asunción, Paraguay and is scheduled to hold private talks with President Fernando Lugo. On Wednesday he wraps up the tour in Montevideo, Uruguay meeting Foreign Secretary Gonzalo Fernandez.

The coming Ibero-American leaders summit in Estoril, Portugal, scheduled for November 30 and December first is significant because in 2010 several Latinamerican republics will celebrating the bicentenary of independence, precisely from the colonial Spanish empire, and a calendar of commemorations is being elaborated.

Laiglesia so far has been in Brazil, Portugal and has held meetings with Latinamerican countries representatives in Madrid and Prague, where the last meeting of the EU with the Group of Rio took place.