Buenos Aires, Jan. 6 (EFE).- Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Santiago Cafiero held a new bilateral meeting this Thursday with his counterparts from Cuba, Bolivia, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, within the framework of the XXII Meeting of Foreign Ministers The Community of Latin America and Caribbean Countries (CELAC), will be held today and tomorrow in Buenos Aires.

Cafiero acknowledged the five countries’ support for Argentina to take up the Celac Presidency Pro Tempore 2022, as the South American nation was the only one to maintain its candidacy, as reported in a statement by Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the same way, the minister was grateful for the support received in multilateral forums supporting the resumption of negotiations between Argentina and the UK to find a peaceful and definitive solution to the sovereignty claims related to the Malvinas Question.

BILATERAL WITH BOLIVIA AND CUBA

In a meeting with Bolivia’s Plurinational State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rogelio Mayta, they agreed on the importance of strengthening bilateral relations starting from the inauguration of President Luis Arce, and his political harmony with the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández.

“An asset that should translate into real progress on the commercial agenda,” added Cafiero, according to the official document.

In this regard, Argentina awaits progress in pending health negotiations for the authorization and rehabilitation of meat and dairy companies in the country.

In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Argentina’s interest in Bolivia entering, “as soon as possible”, as a Mercosur State Party, something that was previously expressed at the last summit by the Founding Countries: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mayta thanked South American countries for donating one million vaccines last December, through the White Helmets Commission, which was the largest dose donation among South American countries since the pandemic was announced. .

“The two ministers also agreed on the importance of the recent authorizations for the Salvador Mazza – Yacuiba international crossing as a Safe Corridor, and the La Quiaca – Villazón international crossing for Border Neighborhood Transit”, they reported in the text.

At the same time, the Foreign Minister held a meeting with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, where they signed the Cooperation Agreement for Agricultural Development between the two countries.

“The aim is to promote food sovereignty in Cuba by increasing its production capacity for food and agriculture,” the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained.

MEETING WITH URUGUAY

Cafiero, together with his Uruguayan counterpart Francisco Bustillo, stressed that they had achieved the opening of three border crossings between the provinces of Entre Ríos and Uruguay.

“Cafiero and Bustillo agreed on the importance of the project for the Monte Caseros – Bella Union Bridge, an infrastructure work that demonstrates the importance of the integration of two countries that results in the immediate well-being of the population, and whose financing will be jointly requested for the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) ”, they said in a statement.

IMPROVING RELATIONS WITH THE CARIBBEAN COUNTRY

On the other hand, with his partner from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Keisal Melissa Peters; Cafiero said that Argentina would consider the participation of Caribbean countries in decision-making on initiatives related to natural disasters and emergency measures typical of the region.

With the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, Amery Browne, the Argentine minister expressed a desire to undertake collaborative work and articulate a shared vision of the region.

“He also advocated continuing to strengthen the bilateral agenda for technical cooperation and humanitarian assistance,” they said in the document. EFE

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