MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mujica meets Kerry to implement support at technology and education levels

Secretary Kerry described Uruguay as an old reliable friend of the US

President Jose Mujica addressing US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Uruguay has a significant deficit in technology and scientific education, and was hopeful that cooperation with the United States would help insisting that the goal is achieving equality and wealth distribution.

 The Secretary of State received president Mujica on Tuesday afternoon and after a brief presentation to the media from both leaders they held a private meeting. Tomorrow several memorandums are scheduled to be signed at the State Department. On Monday Kerry was present during the meeting of Mujica with President Barack Obama at the White House.

”I think that the next (Uruguayan) government will have open doors in order to make sure that there is a technical, scientific cooperation (with the US) because our country needs it“, said Mujica who added that ”we are going through a major process of development and we want to make sure that we use this to the utmost. Uruguay does not have the necessary technical training, at the intermediate and highest levels“.

Secretary Kerry described Uruguay as an old reliable friend of the US and a country that is known for promoting peace and freedom and democracy, and particularly for promoting a strong social agenda in order to deal with the problems of growing an economy and providing equality, of opportunity for people.

”I very much look forward to collaborating with Uruguay in this initiative as we go forward, and the President and I and his ministers will discuss ways in which we can promote racial, ethnic, and social equality. We will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding during this visit that will be signed by Assistant Secretary Roberta Jacobson tomorrow (Tuesday)“.

Mujica said that education and knowledge cooperation are essential because ”it’s easy to talk about democracy, human rights, freedom, but a lot of that has to do with the material conquests that our society can achieve and so that our society is able to distribute wealth“.

And he underlined ”we have to ensure that we have the political will to make sure that this distribution takes place“.

Secretary Kerry announced that the two countries were working to expand educational exchanges in the framework of President Obama's major priority of '100,000 Strong', which is an effort for 100.000 students from the United States to travel and study overseas and 100.000 overseas students to study in the US.

”That is the best form of diplomacy. It’s the best way to build a relationship. And it’s the best way to grow opportunities between our countries. So we very much look forward to expanding our discussion on these social issues, and we’re very grateful. Uruguay is an old friend, and we are very, very privileged and happy to have the President here today to talk about how we grow this relationship going forward“ said Secretary Kerry.

Mujica said that when talking about justice and equality amongst human beings ”we know that this is a very long, long road. We have to do our part and then there will be others who will follow”.

The Uruguayan president who is passionate about agriculture and modern farming technology said that he had much to thank all the universities, the qualified technicians, researchers, scientists from the US because they are sowing the seeds (of knowledge) in our Americas”.