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Europe Wants One Voice for
Central America
European Union (EU) ambassador
in Nicaragua, Francesca Mosca,
said Friday, that one condition
for talks is that Central
America designate a negotiator
to discuss a future association
agreement with the old
continent.
According to Mosca the presence
of a chief negotiator will allow
for "mutual confidence," which
is necessary for the agreement,
intending to begin analysis next
year.
"We want to negotiate with the
region as a whole, not with each
country separately," the
diplomat explained during a
meeting with the national and
foreign press.
The EU representative expressed
optimism that these countries
could iron out difficulties and
fulfill commitments made in the
March meeting in Panama.
The refusal of Costa Rica to
accept the negotiator proposed
by the other nations of the
area, current Nicaraguan foreign
minister, Norman Caldera, is
added to unclarity of the
proposed Custom s Union.
The six Central American states,
Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua,
Honduras, El Salvador and
Guatemala, must also
institutionally strengthen their
regional integration and safety
of the area before sitting down
at the table with the EU.
Imma Rocca, charge d affaires
for Political and Trade Issues
of the European embassy in
Nicaragua warned that the
"individual Central American
nations are not attractive
partners."
Mosca said that the case of
Nicaragua between 2002 and 2006,
1.35 billion dollars were
contracted out and, to date, 691
million have been outlaid.
The aid program for the
reconstruction of Central
American after hurricane Mitch
(1998) is 250 million euros, she
added.
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