Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-09-25-Speech-3-170"
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"en.20020925.7.3-170"2
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"Madam President, the Mercosur countries are currently experiencing an unprecedented political, economic and social crisis. This is not our observation, but that of the Heads of State of Mercosur at their meeting in Asunción last September.
The truth is that circumstances are not helping much: presidential elections in Brazil in the next few weeks; spectacular devaluation of the real over the past few days, stock market slump in Brazil; contamination in Uruguay; presidential elections and ongoing crisis in Argentina in March; presidential elections, too, in April next year in Paraguay – if they are held, taking into account that, when the delegation was there in July, a state of emergency was declared.
If we look elsewhere on the continent, the scene is no more promising: instability in Venezuela, an extremely delicate situation in Colombia, a spectacular fall in public support for President Toledo in Peru – who is due to visit this House in December – and general unease throughout the region. In other words, the progress that has been made with regard to coexistence and democratisation are at risk, if none is made in the fight against poverty. What are the Mercosur countries saying about this? They are saying, more Mercosur, more integration and more and better democracy.
We need to respond decisively to these problems, and I believe that what Mr Barón Crespo was saying is perfectly logical: as Parliament has said on numerous occasions, we need to promote this association agreement. We ask the Commission, once the elections are over, to promote the chapters which are not yet closed. The signals given to the Commission with regard to giving EUR 200 million and the increase in the Hilton quota are extremely positive, and I believe we must continue to send these positive signals.
Parliament has asked – and this is an initiative that will not cost another euro – for a regional solidarity fund to be created using the existing budgetary appropriations. I ask the Commission to consider this initiative and I believe it is particularly important for the EU Member States to back a swift solution and agreement with Argentina in the International Monetary Fund. I seem to recall that currently only two Member States have firmly supported this agreement between Argentina and the International Monetary Fund.
Madam President, we must show solidarity with Argentina because I believe it is deserved, and because this solidarity would clearly be to our own advantage.
I shall end, Madam President, by recalling something said by a well-known Argentine Minister: there is no point in travelling first class when an economy passenger has a bomb in their hand luggage."@en1
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