Brussels / Vilamoura, 24/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Mexico confirmed on Wednesday their will to apply starting in July the first reciprocal trade liberalisation measures. In a joint statement released at the conclusion of the ministerial meeting held in Vilamoura, Portugal, Ministers expressed confidence that the results of the trade negotiations could be adopted at the EU/Mexico Joint Council on the fringe of the special European Summit on 23 and 24 March in Lisbon. Mexican authorities confirmed in Mexico City that President Zedillo is prepared to travel to Lisbon for the signature ceremony.
The meeting in Vilamoura was attended by Mexico's Foreign Minister Rosario Green, Portuguese Minister and Council President Jaime Gama, Commissioner Chris Patten and the European Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, along with French State Secretary for Cooperation, Charles Josselin.
Mentioning the WTO, "Ministers stressed the importance of maintaining momentum towards the launch of a new comprehensive round". They also stressed that "a number of measures could be taken at this stage, particularly with regard to procedural improvements in the WTO and matters of concern to developing countries". Further, "the beginning of negotiations on the built-in agenda mandated by the Uruguay Round agreements signals the commitments of all Members to the WTO system".
Minister Green reviewed the political situation in Mexico and next July's presidential elections. The joint statement notes that "Ministers recognised the positive development of the promotion of human rights and the commitment of the Mexican authorities to work towards further improvements in that field and to continue their efforts to find a peaceful solution in Chiapas". They also welcomed the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, to Mexico in 1999.