16/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The three permanent committees of the Joint Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EUROLAT) met for the first time on 6-7 July in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito (EUROPE 9460). They called for energy integration to become a fundamental instrument for political integration in Latin America. Their joint press release also indicated that this integration should be modelled on the European Union's internal energy market. They stated that in relation to the opportunities and challenges of globalisation, the association agreements currently being negotiated between the EU and some of the Latin American regions, Mercosur, the Andean Community and Central America (EUROPE 9462, 9447 and 9458) should be balanced and reflect the regional partners' differences in development. The committees expressed alarm at the increased emigration phenomenon and called for implementation of joint strategies that, for example, extended the overall approach on migration questions implemented by the EU with African and Mediterranean countries, to Latin America. (mb)