Brussels / Vilamoura, 23/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Union confirmed its willingness to help the regional integration process and continue backing the strengthening of the Rule of Law in Central America, at the 16th Ministerial Conference of the San Jose Dialogue, that was just taken place in Vilamoura, on the Portuguese Algarve. The Europeans did not, as the Central Americans would have liked, undertake to negotiate further trade concessions. They did, however, say they were prepared to study the possibility of an accumulation of rules of origin between Latin-American countries benefiting from the system of generalised preferences. Finally, the Europeans encouraged the Central American countries to present clear priorities for the 260 million euro reconstruction programme, which the EU decided on following Hurricane Mitch. These were the main results of the meeting of the "San Jose Dialogue", which, since 1984, has brought together the foreign ministers from the European Union and the Central American countries. Initially intended to back the peace process in Central America, the dialogue has developed towards the subjects of human rights, development and social justice, combating drug trafficking and regional integration.
Only a few European ministers were present at the "San Jose" meeting, which, for most of them, is seen as a mere overlap with the EU/Rio Group meeting bringing together all the countries of Latin America (meeting this Wednesday and Thursday) Even though Portuguese diplomats hinted on the fringe of the Vilamoura meeting that the two dialogues could be rolled into one in future, the final press release states that "Central America and the European Union expressed their satisfaction with the importance and specialised nature of the San Jose Forum and with the exemplary relations which have existed between them for some time, as well as the solidarity which unites the people of both regions". The next meeting has been announced for the first half of 2001. Here are the main points of the joint press release published Tuesday evening:
In the political field, "ministers confirmed their joint commitment to the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms", and stressed here "the generally positive development observed in the consolidation of the rule of law in the countries of the Central American isthmus and the need to take the process further". It is, notably, a question of "consolidating democratic institutions and guaranteeing the independence and the strengthening of the judiciary, the fiscal authorities and electoral tribunals". In this context, the EU reaffirmed its willingness to continue its support of the strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law. It will continue to provide its assistance in training the staff responsible for public security. Ministers welcomed the positive development of elections in Guatemala, the agreement signed between Honduras and Nicaragua and the reurn of the Panama canal.
Turning to the reconstruction of Central American following Hurricane Mitch, the parties recalled that aid programmes must "contribute to the transformation of the societies of Central America, acting in a transparent and decentralised framework and guaranteeing the active participation on the part of civil society, NGOs and the private sector". The large-scale regional projects will be examined at a meeting of the Regional Consultative Group, to be held in Madrid later in the year. The EU "expressed its intention of continuing its cooperation" in the field of disaster prevention and took note, here, of the 2000-2004 strategic framework for the reduction of the vulnerability to disasters defined in October by the Central American Presidents.
Ministers welcomed progress in regional integration, notably through the customs union, coordination of trading positions and the conclusion of a Central American Treaty on investments and trade in services. The EU encouraged Central America to make further progress down that road that would enhance its international competitiveness and said it was prepared to continue with its assistance in the framework of a multi-annual programme, "based on proposals made by the region itself". It is also prepared to study its backing for the setting up of a qualification programme regarding regional integration.
Commerically-speaking, the parties are in favour of the "launching of a new round of comprehensive trade negotiations without excluding any area" in the WTO, and "will endeavour to achieve fair and balanced results". The Central American countries placed emphasis on the duration of the application of the system of generalised preferences being much longer" so as to create a more stable environment for investors "while a new model of future economic relations with the EU was taking shape", characterised by "reciprocal trade benefits". The Europeans are prepared to "examine favourably the possibility of authorising the regional accumulation of rules of origin between Central America, Panama and the Andean Community, ", in the light of the existing rules on the subject". The parties welcomed the "progress" in discussions between the European Commission and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration" for the reconstruction of the region, and the "Central American party again urged EU Member States to become extra-regional associates of the CABEI.
Finally, the Central American party appealed to the European Union to support debt relief in the region in the framework of the Paris Club.