Argentine Chancellor seeks to strengthen relations with the EU and NATO – EUROEFE Euractiv

Brussels / Buenos Aires (EuroEFE).- The Argentine chancellor, Diana Mondino, participated this Monday in different meetings with the high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, and in the European Commission to strengthen the bilateral relationship , in addition to its role in NATO, to support his country’s request to become a global partner of the Alliance.

After visiting China and France, Mondino concluded an international tour in the Belgian capital with the aim of deepen relations between Argentina and the EU in line with the global values ​​they share.

Specifically Mondino In addition to Borrell, he met with the European Commissioner for International Associations, Jutta Urpilainen.

Mondino assured him that Argentina considers the EU a “natural” partner, due to the “historical link” and “shared values ​​and visions on democratic principles, the multilateral system and an international order based on rules.”

According to a statement from his Foreign Ministry, Mondino highlighted that The “solid” bilateral relationship has “great potential” in issues such as digitalization, space cooperation, biotechnology, energy, science and technologyand expressed that his country wants to continue deepening the economic, commercial and investment exchange with the EU and at the same time expand and balance the trade balance.

He reiterated that the signing of the agreement between the EU and Mercosur It is a priority for the Argentine Governmentand hopes for a “soon” conclusion to the negotiations.

He told Borrell that his country can be a reliable supplier and partner of Europe in energy and in the development of value chains, and a strategic partner for critical raw materials.

In a previous meeting with the Commissioner for International Associations, Mondino highlighted Argentina’s ability to become a “preferential” partner that attracts private investments and financing from community institutions in jointly defined areas. within the framework of the European Global Gateway program and that will be finalized next July.

He also met with the Commission’s Director General of the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Kerstin Jorna, as well as the institution’s Director General of the Environment, Florika Fink-Hooijier.

Mondino ratified Jorna Argentina’s willingness to continue deepening the bilateral economic-commercial and investment linkand improve the results of the trade balance of goods and services, while reiterating his country’s objective of positioning itself as a safe and sustainable supplier of minerals necessary for the double energy and digital transition that the European Union has undertaken.

Mondino thanked Jorna for inviting Argentina as “Guest of Honor Country” in the next edition of “Raw Materials Week”a “unique opportunity to expose the Argentine mining potential and promote investment opportunities in the sector.”

In her meeting with Fink-Hooijier, the chancellor explained that the National Deforestation-Free Soy and Beef Platform will have a unique and transparent monitoring, reporting and verification system that will be active from next December, which will allow tracing and certifying the Argentine production destined for the block.

Finally, at the headquarters of the NATO was received by the Deputy Secretary General of the Alliance, Boris Ruge.

Allied sources indicated to EFE that The visit provided the opportunity to continue sharing views on global security.

Mondino’s visit follows that of the Argentine Defense Minister, Luis Petri, in which he made official the request that his country become NATO’s second global partner in Latin America after Colombia.

Mondino also met with Anne Edwards, head of Corporate Affairs at the Swiss multinational Glencore, who explained the firm’s plans to develop two “large-scale, billion-dollar” copper investments in Argentina.

These are the El Pachón mines, in Catamarca and San Juan, which have the potential to contribute to positioning Argentina as “an important player in the copper industry,” he highlighted.

Argentina considers the incident with a Spanish minister over

On the other hand, the Argentine Government considered this Monday overcome and “settled” the diplomatic incident that arose as a result of the comment made last Friday by the Spanish Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente.

Last Friday, the Spanish minister questioned the sobriety and temperance of President Javier Milei, whose Office responded that same day with a statement of “repudiation” in which he attacked the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.

«For us it is a settled issue, for us – I understand that for all Argentines – the fact that a minister from another country says that our president ingests I don’t know what substances, or implies it, is (a comment) not only unhappy, but (also) quite aggressive,” declared this Monday the spokesman for the Argentine Presidency, Manuel Adorni.

And he added that the incident “should not escalate beyond what already happened, which was simply an attack and a response to that atrocity that was said regarding the President of the Nation.”

But “It is a settled issue” that “should not escalate beyond what has already happened”said the presidential spokesperson during the usual morning press conference held this Monday at the Casa Rosada.

The episode originated during the participation in Spain in an event on social networks by Minister Óscar Puentewho stated that he had seen the then presidential candidate of La Libertad Avanza make statements during the electoral campaign in which he commented: “(Milei) came out in I don’t know what state and prior to ingesting or after ingesting what substances.” , without giving more details.

These statements by the Spanish minister provoked a statement of “repudiation” from the Office of the President of Argentina, in which the head of the Spanish Executive, who was unrelated to the controversy, was attacked.

“(Pedro Sánchez) has more important problems to deal with, such as the accusations of corruption that fall on his wife (Begoña Gómez), an issue that even led him to evaluate his resignation,” was the reply from the Casa Rosada.

The statement also included harsh criticism of the internal policies of the Spanish Executive that were in line with those expressed by the far-right party Vox, to which Milei feels very close and to which he will support with his presence on an unofficial visit that he will make to Spain. next day the 18th.

Although the presidential spokesman pointed out that “the agenda is not closed,” Adorni made it clear this Monday that “There will not be a bilateral meeting” between Milei and Sánchez.

“It was not planned, and beyond the fact that the trip, of course, continues its course and is still on, a meeting with the president of Spain (sic) is not planned for this trip,” he added.

Edited by Sandra Municio