Spain to boost EU-L.America ties during its EU presidency
Xinhua 2009-12-26
Spain to boost EU-L.America ties during its EU presidency
MADRID, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) — Spain will seek a string of agreements between the European Union (EU) and Latin America during Madrid’s rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2010, it is reported Friday.
Spain will seek close association agreements between the EU and Central America, boost trade agreements between the EU and Colombia and Peru and resume talks between the EU and the Common Market of the South, said Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
He said his government will do its best to boost EU-Latin America ties although it is a difficult job.
Zapatero vowed to help implement the recently achieved agreement between the EU and Latin America on banana import taxes, which has brought an end to a 15-year-long dispute.
Spain will also review EU’s common position on Cuba, said Zapatero. The EU will move forward the dialogue and cooperation with Cuba if the Caribbean country makes progress in democracy and the respect of human rights.
Spain, as EU presidency, is hosting a summit between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean in Madrid on May 18 and 19.
