Preparatory meeting of First Arab-Latin American countries summit to start on March 25

3/18/2005

The preparatory ministerial meeting of the first Arab and South American countries summit will take place March 25-26 in the southern Moroccan city of Marrakech, announced Thursday a ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation communique.

Foreign ministers of the countries involved (22 Arab and 12 South American) are going to discuss, among other topics, the final text of the declaration to be discussed at the Arab and South American countries summit that will take place May 8-11 in Brasilia, said the communique.

The ministerial meeting, that will be preceded on March 23 by a seminar on "cultural aspects of South America," will discuss means to boost bilateral relations.

Foreign ministers will study means to step up cooperation at multilateral forums and consolidate inter-regional dialogue.

Debates will also focus on strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting bilateral trade and tourism. In this context, a business seminar and an investment fair will be organised in Brasilia on Mai 9.

Participants will discuss means to develop a better understanding of Arab and Latin American cultures.

Chile foreign minister, Ignacio Walker announced his country's participation in the preparatory meeting at a diner banquet hosted Wednesday by Moroccan ambassador to Chile, Abdelhadi Boucetta.

Walker voiced satisfaction at king Mohammed VI's tour to Latin America that led the sovereign to Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina last November, noting that it helped discuss means to boost relations between Latin America and the Arab world.