Lima, September 26, 2003. The Secretary General of the Andean Community (CAN), Guillermo Fernández de Soto, described as "satisfactory" the progress recorded in the second meeting for negotiating a free trade agreement between CAN and Mercosur.

"We are getting closer each time to the end of negotiations,” said the Secretary General of CAN, on commenting on the results of the meeting held between both blocks on September 24 and 25 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

He indicated that the same dynamism that was present in the first meeting was also noted on this second occasion, which enables being optimistic with respect to complying with the forecast terms.

He reported that in order to guarantee progress in the negotiations, both parties had agreed to perform a list of tasks. Thus, before October 3, they will exchange lists of products subject to immediate exemption from duties and no later than October 15, an exchange of lists of requests for improvements to the lists presented will be made.

In addition, the Andean Community and Mercosur scheduled their third meeting, at the technical, Vice-ministerial and Ministerial levels, for the week of October 20 to 24, in Lima. They also agreed to hold their fourth negotiations meeting during the week of November 10 to 14, 2003, in the city of Quito.

The Andean Community Delegation was coordinated by the Assistant Secretary of Foreign Trade and Integration of Ecuador, Cristian Espinosa Cañizares; while that of the Mercosur was presided over by the Assistant Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Ambassador Guillermo Valles.