The Hindu : Front Page : Ready to act as bridge with Africa: Portugal

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Friday, Jul 06, 2007
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Ready to act as bridge with Africa: Portugal

Sandeep Dikshit

NEW DELHI: The annual summit with the European Union (EU), India’s largest trading partner, will take place on November 30 to discuss pending trade issues and further cooperation in science and technology and renewable energies, the Portugal Ambassador, Luis Filipe Castro Mendes, told a news conference here on Thursday.

Prime Minister of Portugal Jose Socrates, in his capacity as President of the European Council, along with the former Prime Minister and president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, would be present at the summit. By coincidence the summits began in 2000 when, as is the case this time, Portugal had assumed Presidency of the EU.

The summit will take place at a time when one of the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency is to focus to the south and east of the EU and try to give the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economies greater importance in EU’s external relations.

Mr. Mendes said the south orientation, which includes the EU-Africa summit after seven years, would have significance for emerging Indian interests in Africa. “The EU, and particularly Portugal, would be interested in working with India to cooperate with Africa, including the Portuguese-speaking countries such as Angola and Mozambique,” he said.

“The [EU] Presidency is a work of balance since a common position has to be found for the 27 member countries. Therefore there is a distinction between the national and Presidency positions. But we have our style and priorities and every Presidency puts its own mark. Our priorities are focus on the South, better relations with emerging countries and a strategy for better competitiveness of the EU in the global world,” said Mr. Mendes.

The EU was ready to act as a bridge between India and Africa and help the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) with its experience of forging a common bloc. “With India assuming Presidency of SAARC, we are ready to enhance cooperation on institutional methods. Though the EU has been helping SAARC for some years with its experience of economic integration, the assistance is still modest,” he said.

The EU, he said, welcomed India’s entry into the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project as it was “very much committed to civilian and peaceful use of nuclear energy.” On the spat between Russia and the U.S. over the latter’s move to place a missile shield in two EU member countries, the Ambassador said that since the proposal was still under discussion, it was early for the EU to state its position.

The EU would engage with the U.S., India and China to seek more ambitious emission goals than were articulated at the recent G-8 summit.

“Our target is to cut gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020. We have to discuss and cooperate with these countries,” said Mr. Mendes.

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