Скачать или смотреть MEXICO: EUROPEAN DIPLOMATS VOICE INTEREST IN MEXICAN ECONOMY

(9 Jan 1998) Spanish/Nat

European diplomats were voicing their interest in the Mexican economy at a press conference in Mexico City on Thursday.

Future trade between the two is seen as promising and full of potential.

However, Mexico needs to rectify its poor human rights records before European investors give this Central American country their vote of confidence.

On Thursday in Mexico City, the British Ambassador to Mexico Adrian Beamish, and Jacques Lecomte, the Ambassador for the European Union in Mexico, gave a press conference in which they outlined their objectives for bringing Mexico and Europe closer together.

An Interim Agreement for commerce was signed on 8 December 1997 with a view to starting trade negotiations in June this year.

However, the planned trade agreement could provoke N-G-Os and human rights organisations after the recent conflict in Chiapas when 45 people were massacred.

But both Beamish and Lecomte stressed that European investors should not be deterred since the massacre is unlikely to affect the financial markets.

Jacques Lecomte said he expected the European Union to force Mexico to sort out its problems concerning human rights, especially if ties with Europe become stronger.

Adrian Beamish, the British Ambassador to Mexico outlined the strategy for setting up the trade agreement.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"Our objective is that during our presidency, the union will be able to be in agreement with its mandate and authorises the commission to initiate the negotiations with the Mexican government. The presidency hopes that the negotiations will result in a commercial agreement, in its broadest context, and that it will be compatible with the structure of world trade."
SUPER CAPTION: Adrian Beamish, British Ambassador to Mexico

The two ambassadors suggested that future relations between Mexico and Europe were necessary and promising, but that there was no time for a delay.

The agreement is likely to be planned with a long term view as Mexico is seen to be one of the most important commercial markets for European business.

In 1997 British investment into Mexico totalled 3.5 (m) million U-S dollars, a figure which is likely to increase this year.

Jacques Lecomte said that more recently trade between Mexico and other European countries had declined.

SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"The percentage of European trade with Mexico is diminishing and the sector of business with the U-S is increasing greatly. Another element as well is that Mexico is exporting more and more to the countries of Latin America and with its trade with Europe it is not growing as we would wish. In this sense I think that our work with the Mexican authorities will support all the initiatives to improve the perception and the presence of Mexican companies in Europe."
SUPER CAPTION: Jacques Lecomte, Ambassador for EU in Mexico

Many diplomats have recognised the efforts made by the Mexican government when it dragged itself out of an economic crisis in 1994.

Strategically, Mexico is an important market, not just because it is situated between the U-S and the rest of South America, but also for its huge economic and productive potential.

The European Union hopes that Mexico will be able to stabilise its economy which is a fundamental component for the success of future trade relations.

One left wing political group in Spain will protest next week in Strasbourg.

They are fighting for a postponement of the agreement until the events in Chiapas have been fully clarified.

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