The Undersecretary for Affairs of the Americas, Leopoldo Sahores, met today with the Canadian Undersecretary for the Americas, Michael Grant, on the occasion of the 14th Round of High-level Political Consultations between Argentina and Canada.
The officials addressed the state of bilateral relations, as well as scientific and technological cooperation, health, nuclear and non-proliferation issues, environmental protection, consular and migration affairs, and the agreements currently under negotiation. They also exchanged views on the main regional and multilateral issues of shared interest, including human rights and gender issues.
As regards economic and commercial issues, they analysed the negotiation of the MERCOSUR-Canada Free Trade Agreement with a view to making progress towards a final version. In addition, both countries reaffirmed their shared interest in expanding and diversifying bilateral trade and mutual investment, thus recognizing a mutual desire for long-term cooperation. The parties highlighted their interest in renewable energies and agreed that the oil, gas and mining sectors offer an opportunity to take advantage of their experience in relation to exploration, exploitation and commercialization modes. In relation to multilateral matters, the delegations widely agreed on topics such as the G20 agenda, the defence and strengthening of multilateralism, WTO reform and the activity of the World Wine Trade Group. Argentina’s progress towards entering the OECD was also addressed in positive terms.
In addition, the delegations reviewed the recent signing of an open government agreement and a defence cooperation agreement, as well as the evolution of cultural and educational agreements in force. They underscored the existing interchange in relation to those agreements, the progress towards a social security agreement and the coincidences in multilateral and regional agreements.
Undersecretary Sahores thanked Undersecretary Grant for his visit, who in turn invited him to continue the fruitful dialogue in Ottawa on a date yet to be set.
At the end of the meeting, Grant met with Deputy Foreign Minister Gustavo Zlauvinen and they reaffirmed the great state of the bilateral relationship and its future prospects.
