Basescu: Romania has a chance through export comeback in Latin America

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Conclusions at the end of the CELAC-EU summit.

President Traian Basescu stated at the end of the CELAC-EU Summit that Romanian companies have a chance to return with exports on markets in Latin America, considering the framework of already existing trade agreements or of trade agreements that will be signed by the EU and states in this region, Mediafax informs. Basescu underlined that at the summit in Santiago de Chile the leaders of the EU and of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean reached an agreement on a relation of strategic partnership, with major trade benefits considering that trade between the two regions totaled EUR 200 bln in 2012. “So I believe that Romania has a chance within this strategic partnership, the Romanian economy is definitely competitive at the level of Latin America and of the states in the Caribbean and the framework created by this summit will allow Romanian companies to diversify their export markets because, just like a comeback on Arab markets started two or three years ago, we have to return on South American markets too and to enter Caribbean markets in order to no longer be as dependent on anything that happens within the EU,” Basescu underlined. He pointed out that Romania’s trade with Latin American countries registered “an explosive growth” of 47 per cent in 2012, totaling USD 1.3 bln in the first 11 months, of which USD 700 M represented Romanian exports. “I can tell you that there were economic missions and Astra Vagoane Arad, with offers for goods wagons, passenger carriages, subway trains, is foreshadowed as a company that will be successful. Likewise, Romarm had evaluation missions and likewise it has the outlook of good contracts. Last but not least, the car manufacturing industry and white goods industry also have very good outlooks in Latin America. It means making a comeback in places we have been before, but with products of a different quality, including oil drilling equipment that is being exported from Romania to Latin America even now,” Basescu pointed out. At the same time, he underlined that Romania should turn towards these markets considering the lesson of the Euro Area recession of recent years, which affected our country’s exports and economy. “The lesson of the Euro Area, which affected Romania too, is one we are experiencing today too, we experienced it last year too and we will experience it in 2013 too, let’s hope things will get better starting in 2014, but it’s clear that Latin America, the CELAC states, is a solution for expanding our exports,” Basescu stated. He also pointed out the possibility of Romania organizing “a tour at political level” in South America, one that would include meetings with these countries’ business communities. On the other hand, President Basescu stated that Romanians should emulate “the Chileans’ tenacity in working and attaining their goals,” however he would not want us to emulate Chile’s health and education system models, systems in which the state does not get involved. “If you think about emulating something, I believe the Chileans’ tenacity in working, in attaining their goals is worth emulating,” Basescu stated when asked by journalists what he liked in Chile and what he believes could be taken as an example by Romania. On Saturday evening President Traian Basescu and the other European and South American leaders attended an equestrianism show, being given the honors by a detachment of the Chilean Dragoon Guards. The leaders then watched a show of Chilean folk costumes, dances and music. The President also visited Santiago de Chile sights in private, climbing the San Cristobal Hill where he admired the “Imaculada Conception,” the statue of the Virgin Mary that Chile received as a gift from France, a statute built in a style similar to that of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer. The President also visited the memorial house of writer Pablo Neruda.