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Former Presidents Aznar and Lacalle and experts discuss the future of transatlantic relations in the Annual CAF-OAS-Inter-American Dialogue Conference

Two former presidents and several international experts participated today in the panel "Towards a new transatlantic society" within the framework of the XVII Annual Conference of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Dialogue, which was held in Washington, DC.

Former Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, said that it is currently "not enough to define the Atlantic community as the relationship between the U.S. and Europe. That relationship remains indispensable, but it is necessary to redefine this policy, because we cannot face the world of the future with the same patterns of traditional Atlantic policy". In this regard, former Spanish president said: "look to the entire Atlantic, not only the north but also the south" and for this he proposed "redefining the policy based on four pillars: the European pillar, the United States pillar, the Latin American pillar and a pillar of a significant number of African countries. The redefinition of the Atlantic policy should rest on these four pillars.”

Former President Aznar also noted that, in terms of institutions, values, skills and also in material terms, such as the reserves of oil, gas, and other issues related to energy, investment and natural water reserves, "the Atlantic basin is the most important the world " and added that " it is not true, as many say, that the future of the world is confined to the Pacific basin.”

In references to negotiations such as those being held between the U.S. and the European Union, Former President of Uruguay, Luis Alberto Lacalle, said "if significant movements are taking place regarding trade policy in the world, it is because we have not achieved an agreement for global free trade."

He highlighted that European monetary, policy and commercial integration is "practically a federation" compared to the "much more pragmatic North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which reversed 300 years of history of the North American continent."

The former Uruguayan president cited the experience of Mercosur, which he helped launch, noting that it "has led towards an association of governments that claim to have common characteristics, to the detriment of focusing on economics and trade, which was its original mandate."

According to Lacalle, "trade is the language of the people; ever since the time of the Phoenicians, nations here bought and sold among each other", adding that "trade has no ideology or philosophy." He noted that "the fact that the U.S. and the European Union are negotiating a free trade agreement is very important and we say congratulations, because if there has not been more integration it is not due to a lack of desire by Latin America, but rather as a result of the protectionism and barriers to international trade put in place by the large trading centers."

The President of the European Union-Latin America and Caribbean Foundation, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, expressed her agreement with the "renewal of the transatlantic society", but said it was necessary to "reinvent this relationship," and added that it is necessary to introduce the Asian influence into the equation, particularly that of China. Ms. Ferrero Waldner, who is also the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria and former EU commissioner, also said that in her opinion, transatlantic relations must be based on the triangle formed by the United States and Canada, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean, regardless of the ideological differences that currently exist within the Western Hemisphere.

Meanwhile, Harvard professor and former Minister of Planning of Venezuela, Ricardo Hausmann, criticized Latin American governments for what he considered to be an error of approach to the topics of discussion with the President of the United States, Barack Obama, during the 2012 Summit of the Americas. "Latin American governments have shown an enormous lack of capacity" said Professor Hausmann, who argued the need to "connect our societies on different channels." Hausmann leaned towards free trade and said "there is a huge opportunity for better integration between the U.S., Europe and Latin America".

Frances Burwell, Vice President of the Atlantic Council, said that the United States, Europe and Latin America share a set of values ​​and a growing interest in issues related to the economy and energy. Burwell noted that, in the past, the United States and Western Europe forged an alliance against the block headed by the Soviet Union, and that, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, both sides made ​​efforts to integrate Eastern Europe. She noted that more recently Europe and the United States are involved in a “very ambitious” free trade project. Burwell highlighted that several South and Central American countries have free trade agreements with the United States and that these countries should explore involvement with the trade agreement that is being negotiated between the United States and Europe.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-325/13