Cocaine the focus of EU-Latin American trade talks

Latin American countries urged the European Union yesterday to do more to help fight poverty by providing more trade access to its vast market and by stepping up aid to help combat the cultivation of drugs.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez-Araque called directly on the EU to improve its fight against the drug trade in Europe, which he said continued to fuel increased cocaine production by poor Latin American farmers.

“Drugs is a problem not only by drug producers … but also by drug consumption,” he told reporters after he led talks on behalf of the five-nation Andean Community in talks with the EU.

That grouping includes Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, countries which have the greatest problems with poverty and drugs in the region.

EU foreign ministers were holding two-day talks with 17 Central and South American nations aiming to bolster political and trade ties. Talks with all 17 nations were to be held today.

Rodriguez-Araque also demanded the EU move to drop its protectionist tariffs on agricultural imports so South American farmers can get fair access for their legal crops, making it easier for them to switch from growing coca – the raw ingredient for cocaine.

“Until that is addressed it will led to more production,” Rodriguez-Araque said. “Poor people are greatly affected. Legal farmers are caught up in the violence.”

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the cultivation of drugs was “a point of concern” for Europe, adding the EU was also keen to help fight poverty.

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, whose country holds the EU presidency said the 25-nation bloc was close to approving a new Generalised System of Preferences, or GSP system.

This would aim at giving poor Latin American countries more access to the EU’s market for their farm goods, at lower tariff rates.

However many Latin American countries claim such a move does not go far enough and again called for regional free trade pacts with Europe at Thursday’s talks.

Meanwhile the EU’s attempts to sign another free trade pact, after sealing deals with Chile and Mexico are currently frozen.

Trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur which groups Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay stalled in October.

After their talks late yesterday the EU and the four South American countries agreed to relaunch negotiations in July, to draft a new talks agenda, said Ferrero-Waldner.