MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU Parliament president calls Argentina a crucial associate in the redefinition of global relations

After meeting with president Macri and holding talks with foreign ministry officials Shultz later attended CARI, Argentina's International Relations Council

Visiting president of the European Parliament Martin Shultz called on his Argentine hosts to leave behind those chapters “with no dialogue” and concentrate on Mercosur/EU trade and cooperation negotiations that have been stalled for almost twenty years, taking advantage of an Argentina opened to the world and an ally when international relations are being redefined.

 “The European Union is looking to establish links with the region through Argentina, a country with great opportunities to become the stable associate with other parts of the world and with its neighbors”.

Shultz on Monday morning met with president Mauricio Macri at Government House, held talks with foreign ministry officials and later attended CARI, Argentina's International Relations Council where he said his visit had the purpose of establishing “a new chapter in relations between the European Union and Argentina”

Shultz said that “we're coming from a chapter in which there was no dialogue between the two sides, but I believe Argentina has a role to play in the region, in the G20 and as partner of the EU, and this is so important and crucial that we simply can't allow ourselves not to talk”

The German politician said that with the imminent exit of the United Kingdom from the EU, following on the referendum, “Europe needs to redefine its international relations”

Shultz recalled that last July president Macri visited Europe and held talks in Brussels with Donald Tusk, president of the European Council and Federica Mogherini the EU Foreign affairs and security High Representative.

As to relations with Mercosur, Shultz said that after almost two decades of negotiations, “a decision must be made”, facing difficulties and acknowledging possibilities, although admitting that the interests of each member country sometimes makes it uphill to reach a consensus.

“Both the European Commission and the European Parliament are willing to adopt wide ranging commitments, but the other side of the coin is that member states must approve these decisions and they defend most heterogeneous positions, and thus the role Argentina must play in moving ahead”.

And on our side, said the EU parliament president, “we must help Mercosur to achieve its political and economic project”, adding the was hopeful that European members “showed more flexibility in overcoming the difficulties that surface as we advance”