Mexico, Chile to Jointly Promote Hemispheric Economic IntegrationMexico and Chile will work together to speed up the process of economic integration of the Western hemisphere, said Mexico's President Vicente Fox and Chile's President Ricardo Lagos after their meeting here Monday, December 4.The two presidents agreed that international trade is becoming an important stimulant for economic prosperity. Mexico and Chile should promote bilateral trade development and strive to realize economic integration. The Common Southern Market (Mercosur) is playing an important role in the economic integration of Latin America, and Chile will try its best to become a full member of Mercosur, said Lagos. Chile will try to establish a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the United States and support Mexico's negotiations with the Mercosur on FTA, Lagos added. Chile and Bolivia are associate members of Mercosur, a regional trading bloc made up of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Lagos, who arrived here on November 28 to attend President Fox' s inauguration on December 1, started the one-day state visit to Mexico on December 4. He is the first president to be received by Fox. |
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