Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-14-Speech-3-064"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011114.3.3-064"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, the Salafranca report comes at an opportune moment. The implementation of a global partnership and common strategy with Latin America, driven by Europe, is something that has always been worthwhile, but now more than ever, since 11 September, when international relations are clearly in a state of upheaval. This strategy and partnership driven by Europe comes at a time when a partner, in a different region, is going through difficult times, of which we are all aware.
However, as Europeans, we should have clearly defined ideas. The partner to which I am referring will get through its bad patch over time and will once again turn its attention to Latin America. It has a right to do this, but Europe has values and interests that are not always the same as those of the United States. We only have to mention the mere existence of Mercosur or Alca or, simply, the different positions we maintain with regard to areas such as the death penalty or the Permanent Court of International Justice.
With regard to the objectives of the common strategy that have been mentioned, it is laudable, of course, to aim for the implementation of a Euro-Latin American area of peace and stability, in addition to the signing of a peace charter, a task that in my opinion would be difficult to achieve, but not as difficult as reaching equivalent objectives, such as those sought by the Barcelona process for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, whose execution has not so far made it possible to solve the Middle East conflict.
On the other hand, I applaud the intention of sharing prosperity through the creation of a free trade area by 2010, or thereabouts. However, I would like to allude once more to the Barcelona process in order to warn that the process that we are hoping to achieve for Latin America should take account of inequalities, that is to say, the different economic weight of the partners, because this could lead to trade being free for all, in theory, but, in practice, being subjected to the most onerous of burdens, that is to say, true inequality that as we all know can be widespread throughout Latin America. This could mean that our supposed free trade will become nothing more than a slogan. So, if our intention is to create a partnership between members who are supposed to be equal, when it is obvious that they are not, it is important that we can resort to a fundamental instrument.
I am referring to a genuine development cooperation policy, which is the only thing that can minimise, although I fear this will not happen before 2010, the enormous socioeconomic differences that exist today between the European Union and Latin America and even between Latin American partners themselves.
Lastly, I would like to remind the ultra-liberals that not only is development aid compatible with free trade, but that it requires it, except when free trade is understood to be solely based upon cynical and even cruel inequalities. On occasions, decent trade is not possible without efficient and transparent development cooperation providing the basis for a free, but fair, game."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples