European and Latin American leaders called for more efforts in furthering trade between their regions and addressing surging food prices as they gathered in Peruvian capital Lima for a summit.
Leaders from 50 nations attended the 5th Latin American, Caribbean and European Union Summit (LAC-EU), which has discussed trade agreements and addressed the recent spike in world food prices, poverty and climate change.
Peruvian President Alan Garcia, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso are among the leaders who attended the summit, which began Friday and is scheduled to end Saturday.
The leaders pledged in a joint statement Friday to actively pursue two free trade agreements between Europe and Central American countries and the Andean Community.
Barroso said that it is necessary to speed up negotiations on cooperation with the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) and the Common Market of the South (Mercosur).
The European Union (EU) will consider changing some of its positions on the disparities between Latin American countries, Barroso said.
The aim is to complete the EU's accords with the CAN, Mercosur and Central America next year, he said. To date, the EU has signed free trade deals with Mexico and Chile.
Peru and Colombia called on their countries to be put on a "fast track" in trade talks between the EU and Andean countries.
Garcia said the Andean countries should hold negotiations with the EU so as to speed up the signing of a free trade agreement with the 27-member bloc.
It is very important for the Andean Community to sign a free trade pact with the EU, as such an agreement would be conducive to the economic growth and social development of the two regions, he added.
Zapatero, whose country is set to host the next LAC-EU summit in 2010,said that "maximum priority" should be given to resolving outstanding obstacles.
"We can't arrive at our next meeting in 2010 (in Spain) without having managed to do so," he said, saying the accords would be the best way to reduce social inequalities.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet also called for a global trade agreement.
"I'm making an urgent plea for us to successfully wrap up the Doha round," she said. "If we have freer and fairer agricultural trade, we'll have more food."
At the gathering, the leaders also agreed on the need to fight against poverty, climate change and tackle soaring food prices, which some attributed in part to greater use of biofuels.
"We agree that immediate measures are needed to assist the most vulnerable countries and populations affected by high food prices," said the joint statement.
EU Foreign Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that soaring global food prices constitute "a regional challenge."
The EU has approved a package worth 117.25 million euros (some 183 million U.S. dollars) for food aid around the world, she added.
The EU and Brazil, the world's top ethanol exporter, back biofuels, but many Latin American countries blame them for pushing up food prices.
Some critics insisted the EU should scrap its target of having renewable fuels make up 10 percent of road transport fuels by 2020,saying the goal will contribute to hunger and environmental damage around the world.
European leaders played down the risks.
"The impact of biofuels (on food prices) should not be provoke such alarm, because from my point of view the relationship isn't that clear," Zapatero said.
Even as many poor nations in Latin America criticize the use of food crops such as corn and soybeans to make fuels, they are increasingly worried about climate change and say rich countries must cut carbon emissions.
Peru set up an environmental ministry this week to help deal with the impact of rising global temperature, which studies show could melt its Andean glaciers within 25 years.
There was broad support during the summit for initiatives to combat global warming, including carbon trading programs and reforestation.
Source: Xinhua
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