By Prensa Latina,
Madrid : Spain considers that the next European Union-Latin America/Caribbean Summit must lay the foundations of cooperation to face the challenges of immigration, climate change and energy.
According to Monday’s announcement by Spanish Foreign Ministry Secretary of State for Ibero-America Trinidad Jimenez, the meeting to be held in Lima in mid May is expected to be the place to agree on specific objectives between both regions.
Speaking at the seminar EU-Latin America and the Caribbean Relations: Towards the Lima Summit 2008, Jimenez said the relation of Europe with Latin America and the Caribbean must be based on the principles of respect and non-interference.
He also pointed out that the two geographic areas share common values and culture and the EU is currently viewing Latin America as a region with which to again cooperate.
Diego Lopez, Spanish Foreign Ministry’s secretary of State for the EU, said regional partnership agreements such as MERCOSUR (the Southern Common Market) may become a lever for development between both regions.
He also pleaded for a strategic alliance between the EU and Latin America as an indispensable goal, though he admitted that dialogue between the parties is currently deadlocked.