2 August 2001
President de la Rua
It is a pleasure for me to be here in Iguazu together with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It is a historical visit because it is the first visit paid to our country by a British Prime Minister. So I welcome him again and I highly appreciate his visit and the solidarity that he has expressed and extended to us. Now I give the floor to you, Mr Tony Blair.
Prime Minister
First of all, can I say how pleased I am to be here in Argentina. I am most grateful to President de la Rua for the warmth of his welcome here. Let me repeat again our solidarity with Argentina in these times of great difficulty for the country, and our support for the government’s programme of change, and I hope very much that from today’s meeting the relations between our two countries, Britain and Argentina, will strengthen and grow, and having been here today as British Prime Minister I hope very much to welcome Fernando De La Rua, President de la Rua, in Britain at a later time.
President de la Rua
I thank you for the invitation extended to me, and I repeat to you I hope to have you back in Buenos Aires.
Question
Prime Minister Blair, you have spoken twice today of solidarity with Argentina. The question is, is the UK or the international community considering any specific assistance to Argentina, and what is your opinion about the risk of contagion with the situation in Argentina with other countries in the region.
Prime Minister
First of all I would like to say that we should recognise the steps and progress that Argentina has made in particular and the very important vote the other evening. These measures must I know be very difficult for people in Argentina, though there is no painless way of dealing with a problem such as this. We will be looking with our other partners at an international level to see what specifically we can do to assist in this situation. I don’t think now is the time to speculate openly and publicly, if you like, as to what can be done, but I can assure you that we are aware both of the seriousness of the situation, and that the measures that Argentina has taken in the past few days deserve a response from the international community.
Question
Can I ask the British Prime Minister, I know that you have agreed not to talk about the Falklands here, but isn’t that in some senses slightly daft, given that the first thing that we see when we cross the border here is a big sign which says that the Malvinas belong to Argentina.
Prime Minister
Well, you know we have our respective positions as countries on this issue, but what has happened in the past is the past and today we have discussed some of the things that we have in common. For example our position on free trade in the world where Argentina and Britain stand together. Our position on the issue of climate change where we support the Kyoto process. Our strong support for the locating of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat in Argentina, and of course this issue of the financial problems facing Argentina in which we have a common interest in trying to get them solved.
Of course we have our respective position on that issue, but actually the bulk of our conversation today, in fact the vast bulk of it, has been on the things that we have together and I really passionately hope that whatever has happened in the past we are able, Britain and Argentina, to work together, not just as two countries, but internationally with other countries to solve the problems that confront us all. Problems of finance, problems of climate change, problems of trade, because this is what two countries with such strong and proud traditions as our countries should be able to do.
Question
Is it difficult for the government to stay away or to depart from this neo-liberal model and look for a more solitary and social-looking model like the one offered by the third way.
President de la Rua
The government applies a fully solitary model towards its people within the framework of economic and social conditions in which each received the country.
Question
Could I ask, Mr President, if you believe there could ever be another Argentinean invasion of the Falkland Islands.
President de la Rua
We have said that our claims over the Malvinas Islands are along the fully peaceful path.
Question
There is a UN Resolution calling for negotiation over the islands. As British Prime Minister, are you thinking of following this recommendation, and what did you discuss in that regard in the meetings today.
Prime Minister
Well, really no. We have our respective positions on this issue. I don’t think there is anything more I can usefully add to that and, as I think you would expect, the vast amount of our discussions today was on issues that are of immediate concern to Argentina and to the rest of the world, particularly the financial problem.
Question
I know you had a lot to talk about in very little time, but I wondered do you have time to discuss Mr Blair’s speech about the need for the European Union to reduce its agricultural price support system to allow agricultural goods from Argentina and from Brazil to come more easily into Europe. And in particular there have been reports that Brazil is considering introducing genetically modified crops. It is a major controversy in Europe and I wondered if you discussed it and if you didn’t, whether Argentina has a view on this controversial subject.
President de la Rua
We have discussed this decision. We have discovered that we have plenty of coincidences with the United Kingdom. We talked about the need of liberalising agricultural policy. We did not discuss genetically modified control of our products, and we agreed on the fact that more openness is needed in all markets. We have also discussed the issues related to beef and all the steps that we are taking in order to do away with foot and mouth disease. Thank you very much.
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