| August 18,
2000
Cuba ratifies ALADI’s
validity and MONTEVIDEO, August 11 (PL).— Cuba today praised the efforts of ALADI member countries and called for internal cohesion in order to find solutions to existing asymmetries, to harmonize trade policies and present a common strategy. Government Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, who headed the Cuban delegation to the Ministers’ Council of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), congratulated those who have facilitated progress made over the last 20 years in the necessary task of creating a Latin American and Caribbean nation. Cabrisas viewed as opportune the ratification of the validity of the 1980 Montevideo Treaty, whose judicial and institutional structure, enriched over the last 20 years, has paved the way to advances that are apparent in the context of regional integration. He reaffirmed ALADI’s current role as the principal standing forum for Latin American integration. It facilitates a systematic analysis of progress made and the adoption of fortifying actions and a search for consensus with the aim of surpassing levels reached. The fact that ALADI has been the main promoter of integration over the years, said Cabrisas, obliges us to take this 20th anniversary as a reference in order to demonstrate our firm conviction of the need to strengthen the association with a view to the future. He added that the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Andean Community, which interact with ALADI, are advancing in shaping their customs unions and the creation of common markets. Cabrisas went on to say that both projects are interrelated in blocs or bilaterally, with the majority of members within an agreement network which could lead to the establishment of a free trade area if the current reactivation in the pace of negotiations in the region is maintained. Cuba, he pointed out, evaluates positively any effort encouraging ALADI member countries to promote the articulation and convergence of agreements signed within the organization’s framework. The Cuban minister also noted that the foregoing would not be sufficient if the association does not propose to achieve decisive progress in internal cohesion; and that it should seek to resolve current asymmetries, to harmonize trade policies and regulatory instruments that would open the way to a common strategy. This would admit confronting the different scenarios of trade and integration, both within the hemisphere as well as inter-continentally and multilaterally, he argued. In that context, Cabrisas said, Cuba believes that it is feasible to incorporate the controversies solution mechanism into the common regulations, as well as to examine the inclusion of other negotiating disciplines in the sub-regional schemes and new-generation agreements among member countries. Cuba perceives integration as a key element for attaining economic growth and development, objectives that remain to be achieved,, he commented. He also argued that defending the road to integration in the current context of the globalization of the world economy is something to which everyone should dedicate action. Cabrisas spoke of his concern that, in spite of countries' efforts, the Latin American economy has undergone periods of recession in recent years. Among other causes, he attributed that to the impact of international financial turbulence, and the negative and unexpected effects of economic policies adopted. Utilizing data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Cabrisas emphasized that Latin America and the Caribbean are classified as the region of the world with the greatest inequality in income distribution levels. He added that, according to IDB estimates, a quarter of the total income is perceived by five per cent of the population and 40% only by the richest 10%. He also spoke of the effects of the economic policy on employment, wages and income distribution itself which, he pointed out, has led to an increase in poverty which is expressed by the 200 million-plus Latin Americans registered as poor. Of those, he observed, more than 90 million are classified as destitute, while more than 150 million have an income of less than two dollars per day, which is not enough to cover the most basic food costs. Advancing toward development, a broader concept than economic growth, requires finding solutions to problems such as inequality, poverty, health, education, culture and social well-being, basic rights that must be respected, since they are the very basis of respect for individual dignity. In another part of his speech, closely followed by all participants, he expressed thanks on behalf of Cuba and its people for ALADI's opposition to the unilateral and extraterritorial measures imposed on his country by the most powerful nation in the world. At the same time, he affirmed that in spite of the enormous economic difficulties confronted by Cuba and attempts to isolate the island, his country would always stand by ALADI. "We will be with you in the colossal and communal effort to create a just and profound integration extending equally to all peoples, which will contribute to improving levels of development and quality of life," Cabrisas confirmed. |
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