Today, Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie received the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ecuador, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, at the Palacio San Martín. They held a working meeting at which they addressed the most important items of mutual interest on the bilateral and regional agenda.
The Foreign Ministers underscored the current excellent bilateral relations, which have been strengthened and diversified in the past few years as a result of mutual cooperation by the two countries in different fields.
They agreed to call the Bilateral Political Consultation Body at the level of Foreign Ministers in the upcoming months.
In addition, they confirmed that the 3rd Meeting of the Technical Cooperation Joint Committee will be held in Quito next September. At the meeting, the 2017-2019 Cooperation Programme will be agreed on, which will likely include projects concerning productive and technological innovation, agri-industry and innovation in public administration, among others.
Bilateral technical cooperation relations have been developing successfully since 1992 through the Argentine Fund for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, enabling the movement of over 450 professionals within the framework of several projects.
The Foreign Ministers agreed to work jointly to increase bilateral trade, which is below its historical potential. In this regard, they underscored the need to continue improving market access.
They also underscored the support provided to Ecuador in risk management and humanitarian aid after an earthquake hit the country in April 2016, and they agreed to maintain dialogue to increase cooperation in this field.
The Ministers agreed to maintain and strengthen bilateral cooperation in several fields, such as the legal field and the fields of security and fight against drug trafficking, among others.
Foreign Minister Faurie expressed his gratitude for Ecuador's long-standing and valuable support for the Argentine position in the Malvinas Question, and, especially, for Ecuador's participation in support of Argentina at the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization and at the OAS last June.
At the end of the meeting, the Foreign Ministers signed the Agreement on Cooperation on Treaties, which will enable the parties to share successful experiences on the administration of international instruments and the promotion of the rights and obligations established, as well as on the improvement of legislative technique on this matter. In addition, they signed an Agreement by Exchange of Notes modifying the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Diplomas and Higher Education Academic Degrees signed in 2012. Lastly, they exchanged ratification instruments for the entry into force of the Agreement on Enforcement of Criminal Sentences signed in 2007.
Press release No. 326/17
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