MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas has “an enormous emotional content” but “my duty is to advance dialogue in all issues”

”The intention of the government (of president Mauricio Macri) was to sit and discuss all issues, including Malvinas” despite furious criticisms from the opposition

Foreign minister Susana Malcorra said that the Falklands/Malvinas issue has “an enormous emotional content”, but as her country's main diplomat her duty is to ensure a dialogue that can advance, in the best possible way, on all issues. The minister also described the Mercosur relation with Brazil as “inexorable”, which is beyond ideologies underlining the significance of Brazil's Michel Temer recent visit to Argentina.

 Malcorra was interviewed about recent global events, including the UK/Argentina joint statement that has triggered a strong reaction in Argentina, and on which she will be questioned this Wednesday by the Senate's foreign affairs committee.

”The intention of the government (of president Mauricio Macri) was to sit and discuss all issues, including Malvinas“ despite furious criticisms from the opposition, said the minister.

”This has generated a very big reaction, which has an enormous emotional content, but as foreign minister I have the obligation of advancing a dialogue which allows us to move on, in the best possible way, all of these issues“, added the minister referring to the Macri's administration new constructive approach to relations with the UK.

Regarding Mercosur and ongoing trade talks with the European Union, Malcorra said Europe strongly protects its farm sector and downplayed the Venezuelan situation in these discussions.

”The engine has been turned on, there are political ingredients in Europe which consider a Mercosur agreement dangerous for some of its members and besides Europeans are negotiating a major deal with the United States“.

Malcorra underlined that president Temer's visit ”cemented relations from an institutional point of view, it's not the same to talk with a transition government, and Temer has now been confirmed for the rest of the presidential mandate“.

In effect the minister said that under the transition period, the bilateral agendas agreed with Brazil did not advance, and in the Macri/Temer meeting the presidents, and ministers, addressed issues which had been anticipated last December when ex president Dilma Rousseff talked with president-elect Macri.

”Brazil and Argentina are inexorable partners, beyond ideologies. Geography commands and over 40% bilateral integrated trade; whatever Brazil needs to turn on the engine of its economy, has much to do with Argentina, and the same applies the other way”.

As to the Venezuela of president (Nicolas) Maduro, “this has more to do with the integration commitment of the five countries than with accords, besides what is happening in Venezuela has no impact on discussions for the agreement with the EU, but it matters inside Mercosur”.

On the Colombia situation following Sunday's referendum, Malcorra said that the “No” victory in effect surprised the whole region, since “we were all expecting the end of this over half century armed conflict” which has caused so many lives, displacements and suffering.

However “I don't think Colombians voted against peace, but rather there were different interpretations of the peace deal agreed, and now both sides will have to sit down and work it out”

The minister then compared the Colombian Sunday “No” vote to Brexit, “I'm going to make a very political incorrect statement, I don't believe in plebiscites or referendums. Brexit was contaminated by many factors, including the refugees' problem which led to the UK leaving the EU. A tool of democracy is consultation of the electorate, but a binding consultation is extremely dangerous and generates surprises”.

Finally Malcorra talked about her UN Secretary General bid and the significance of such a post. “I believe that having a citizen of any country in the UN seat will give that country a participation in the great global affairs game. It is evident that with Ban Ki-moon issues from his region have had a greater weight than if I was in his place”.

But Malcorra also anticipated that given the world situation, particularly differences over Syria between Washington and Moscow, this will complicate the vote in the Security Council and for the first time, Russia, China, US and France will show red cards to some of the hopefuls, and this will be strictly linked to strategy, that is their own country interests“.

”So far the US and Russia have not sat to talk about the matter and experts anticipate that all candidates will be exposed to at least one red card, meaning a long negotiation, to which we must add the Syrian dispute, which will further complicates”, concluded Malcorra.