Address by the Secretary General of the Andean Community, Ambassador Sebastián Alegrett, on the occasion of the visit by Colombian President, Dr. Andrés Pastrana Arango
Lima, May 7, 2001

It is indeed an honor for the General Secretariat of the Andean Community to receive the visit today of Your Excellency, President of Colombia, and for me personally to have the privilege of enjoying your friendship on this occasion. I would like to welcome you, President Pastrana, to these premises, the crucible of Andean unity and the place where our countries are giving shape to South American, Latin American, and hemispheric integration.

Our countries have weathered and continue to endure political and economic turmoil that has doubtlessly left its mark on our Community. But we have remained undaunted. The former, we continue to deal with democratically and the latter, with a strong capacity for response on the part of our integration movement as demonstrated in events such as the vigorous recovery of intrasubregional trade. Last year’s growth figure was 31% and a conservative projection by the General Secretariat for this year foresees a record high of 600 million dollars.

The Community response has also been effective at the political level. Recently, as a result of the Meeting of Andean Foreign Ministers in Lima and the Presidential Meeting which you summoned in Cartagena prior to the Summit of Quebec, the climate of understanding was renewed and the political dialogue and capacity for concerted action among our governments were strengthened. There it was agreed to work out an Andean Strategy for the control of Drugs and Related Offenses. Not only is that strategy called upon to reinforce national programs, but also to become one of the core elements of Andean common foreign policy. In this way, an important vehicle has been created for concerted action by the Member Countries and between them and third countries in this and other areas. At the same time, it contributes to the subregion’s safety and development.

All of these political advances are reflected, as well, in the progress of our foreign relations. We are moving firmly ahead in our negotiations with Mercosur, as can be seen from the meetings held between the two trading blocs in Asuncion in late April.

In this way, we will be able to reach the goal agreed upon at the meeting of South American Presidents in Brasilia, of establishing a free trade area with Mercosur by January 2002.

At the same time, our countries continue to work jointly on the negotiation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas which, in accordance with the stand taken by them and other countries of the region at the Quebec Summit, will ensure that the hemispheric project is constructed on the basis of the strengthening and dovetailing of the subregional movements existing in the area.

Therein lies the importance and urgency of joining efforts in the region, particularly by consolidating South American integration.

The establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) cannot be attained through mere adherences, but must be the result of balanced negotiations between countries with very different economic and social conditions. An understanding of this nature can only be attained if grounded in a criterion of equity. On this basis, it is possible to guarantee positive participation by all countries in building this tremendous continental project.

What is at stake, both in our negotiations in the FTAA and in the future of our relations with the European Union, is the possibility of obtaining an appropriate position for the Andean economies in the globalization process.

Furthermore, Mr. President, insofar as the deepening of the integration process is concerned, the immediate agenda of the key bodies of the Cartagena Agreement stems from the mandates which you, from your position as Chairman of the Andean Presidential Council in 1999, encouraged and which today mark the way to the establishment of an Andean Common Market by the year 2005. Crucial issues for the accomplishment of this ambitious objective and which up until very recently appeared unbroachable, have been brought to maturity as proposals that are now in the hands of the governments. Here, I am referring to the free circulation of persons in the subregion, border integration and development policies, and the common agricultural policy. Today we are sending the governments our document of Proposal guidelines containing alternatives for the adoption of a new and modern Common External Tariff that will consolidate our customs union.

These four major issues should be on the agendas for discussion at the ministerial meetings prior to the next Regular Meeting of the Andean Presidential Council. Approval of the corresponding decisions will give a qualitative boost to our integration effort and ensure the fulfillment of the objectives that we have set ourselves for the year 2005.

As you will have noted, Mr. President, we find ourselves facing circumstances that are particularly momentous and that require the direct attention of the Heads of State themselves in order to promote and back the necessary understandings between the Member Countries.

I trust in the political will of our governments. We have given our efforts to this undertaking for more than three decades. The time has come to cross the Rubicon. As the Libertador used to say "God rewards perseverance with victory." With perseverance and conviction, we will win the victory of integration just as you, President Pastrana, will win the peace in our cherished Colombia.