Weekly Report - 1 March 2007

ANDEAN: Reaching out to Venezuela. Foreign affairs and trade ministers representing member countries of the Andean Community (CAN) gathered on 22 February for the inauguration of the new CAN secretary general, Freddy Ehlers. They agreed to set aside their differences to work towards an FTA with the European Union (EU) and to try and persuade Venezuela to rejoin CAN because "fresh winds are now blowing", as Ehlers put it. Both Ecuador's foreign minister, Marí­a Fernanda Espinosa, and her Bolivian counterpart, David Choquehuanca expressed confidence that Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez would rejoin CAN, and help move towards greater integration with Mercosur.

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