MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK official praises Mercosur new trade and integration focus

“Our impression is that Mercosur is coming out of a difficult moment, it has been through a complicated period in recent years”, said FCO official Nigel Baker

Mercosur has “lost focus” because of years of political and ideological discussions instead of concentrating in trade integration, commented Nigel Baker, deputy head of the Foreign Office South America's department during a two day visit to Paraguay. The ex ambassador in the Vatican also anticipated that Brexit, UK leaving the European Union will help strengthen overall relations with Paraguay, one of Mercosur four founding members.

 “Our impression is that Mercosur is coming out of a difficult moment, it has been through a complicated period in recent years. I mean it kind of lost focus for being too long involved in political and ideological discussions, instead of focusing on integration and production”, said Baker during a media conference in Asunción.

Asked about UK's view of Mercosur's institutional challenges, Baker said that Brazil has taken the leadership, “with a different focus” and Argentina is in the process of change with president Mauricio Macri. However the fifth member, Venezuela “is not what it was under president Chavez”, but what matters is that Mercosur “step by step” is again opening and returning to its original idea of trade as the engine of growth, “this for us is very positive”.

According to the Asuncion media, Baker has been busy with a round of political and business contacts and is the second top Foreign Office official in recent weeks to visit landlocked Paraguay. The previous visitor was Simon McDonald, permanent Under Secretary to the Foreign Office.

“Our intention is to have a fluid, standing relation with Paraguay, and particularly to ensure the follow up of initiatives” pointed out Baker who previous to the Vatican, was ambassador in Bolivia and had a top post in Havana. London decided to reopen the UK embassy in Asunción back in 2015.

Asked specifically about Brexit and how this will affect UK/Paraguay and Mercosur relations, Baker was very positive: “you will see a different Great Britain, with strong liberal values, and democracy, and we will have more spaced to underline those issues that interest us”.

As to the Falklands/Malvinas dispute with Argentina, Baker said that the question won't be solved overnight: don't expect the formal position of Argentina regarding the Islands to change, nor our position. What matters is the real situation and not always the statements”.

During the meeting with the Paraguayan media, ambassador Jeremy Hobbs also announced that 30 Paraguayans are following university studies in the UK sponsored with Chevening scholarships. Likewise the Paraguayan government is financing 43 post graduates in the UK in some of the main British universities in fields such economy, energy, engineering and international relations among other areas.