BASSIL Opens Meeting of 'Mercosur' Countries' Experts

14 Oct 2019

Lebanon - Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, on Monday inaugurated the meeting of experts representing the four Mercosur countries: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, in the presence of Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Hassan Murad.

Attending the meeting had been former Minister Wafaa Dika Hamza representing Agriculture Minister Hassan Lakkis, Economy and Trade Ministry's Director General Alia Abbas, representing Economy Minister Mansour Bteish, and Rabih Hamdan representing Industry Minister Wael Abu Fahour.

In his delivered word, Minister Bassil highlighted the importance of today's meeting, given the presence of around 12 million Lebanese emigrants in Latin America.

"As such, Lebanon aspires to establishing more advanced economic relations," Minister Bassil said, welcoming the representatives of the four Mercosur countries in Beirut.

"Let us work together to establish preferential trade relations and promote trade exchange between our countries," Bassil corroborated.

Bassil also indicated that Lebanon is eagerly ready to join the trade agreement as soon as possible.

"We hope that Brazil, which heads Mercosur, will take quick steps with us and the other three countries to swiftly join the agreement and open markets in front of Lebanon," he said.

Bringing to attention that 10 million Lebanese live in the four Mercosur countries, Minister Bassil said Lebanon aspires to have more advanced cultural, economic and commercial relations, describing Lebanese-Mercosur countries' political relations as "good."