The Foreign Ministers of Chile and Argentina, Alfredo Moreno and Héctor Timerman, respectively, led the Fifth Binational Meeting of Ministers and the Third Binational Meeting of Chilean Prefects and Argentine Governors of the Common Border held today in Santiago.
"Chile and Argentina share the second longest border in the world; there are more than 4 thousand kilometers where we have many opportunities to integrate ourselves, share and collaborate for mutual benefit, for better welfare of Chileans and Argentines. And that is the task we carry out throughout the year and which we review in these meetings." He then added, "There are eight integration committees in regions and provinces, which are permanently looking for initiatives of positive integration," said Minister Moreno.
He also stressed, "no matter differences between us, no matter that we have difficulties, they always happen and will always happen, what matters is how we solve them. These meetings allow Chile and Argentina to develop common positions."
For his part, Foreign Minister Timerman said: "These meetings are essential mechanisms of the bilateral relationship and demonstrate once again that our peoples share a common destiny in which integration will persist as a State policy." About the meeting he said, "It has been a success that will collaborate in the construction of unity as a further step to the one we had yesterday and a less step than the one we will surely have next year."
The Minister of the Interior and Security of Chile, Andrés Chadwick, spoke at the opening ceremony and said that unity and integration "is the common, indissoluble path for development and peace between our countries. Indissoluble and permanent, that is how we have assumed it and so we are reflecting it at this meeting."
These meetings are held simultaneously, in order to achieve greater and better coordination of the integration processes promoted by the central governments of the two countries and their respective regional and provincial governments.
Fifth Binational Meeting of Ministers and Third Binational Meeting of Chilean Prefects and Argentine Governors of the Common Border
The Chilean side of the Fifth Binational Meeting of Ministers was represented by the ministers of Foreign Affairs; Interior and Public Security; National Defense; Economy; Development and Tourism; Education; Public Works; Agriculture; Transport and Telecommunications; Energy; Mining; Environment ; National Service for Women and the National Council for the Arts and Culture.
Meanwhile, the Argentine side was represented by the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Worship; Defense; Economy and Public Finance; Federal Planning; Public Investment and Services; Security; Education; Science, Technology and Productive Innovation; and Culture.
Also present were a large number of Undersecretaries of several ministries of the two countries.
Prefects -or their representatives- from the twelve regions that share borders with Argentina also attended the meeting, as well as the authorities of the fourteen Argentine governor's offices bordering our country.
It should be noted that both meetings are essential tools of the institutional framework underlying bilateral relations, which are grounded in both the Maipú Treaty of 2009 and the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984.
These agreements have allowed Chile and Argentina, countries that share one of the world's longest borders, strengthen their ties of friendship and cooperation and develop deep and fruitful integration processes for the direct benefit of the populations of the two countries.
As part of this activity, the ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries held a bilateral meeting where they discussed various aspects of the relationship between both countries and reviewed matters of common interest.
The meeting was also attended by the Chilean Ambassador to Argentina, Milenko Skoknic, the Argentine Ambassador in our country, Ginés González, and the Deputy Director General for Bordering Countries and Regional Affairs, Ambassador Pedro Suckel , among other authorities.
Later, the ministers of Foreign Affairs of Chile and Argentina, Alfredo Moreno and Héctor Timerman, along with the Defense Ministers of both countries, Rodrigo Hinzpeter and Agustín Rossi, respectively, met in the 2+2 Consultation Mechanism.
On the occasion, the Ministers reviewed the work that the two countries are developing in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Similarly, they highlighted the joint work in the combined peacekeeping force "Southern Cross," comprising forces of both countries with combined commands and which are at the disposal of the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.