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Media release
Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile
23 March 2001
Council on Australia Latin America Relations
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, and the Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile, today announced that the Government would establish a Council on Australia Latin America relations, aimed at strengthening ties between Australia and the countries of Latin America.
The Council is to be established by mid-2001 and will seek to broaden Australia's links with the countries of Latin America. The creation of the Council follows key recommendations made by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, which last year conducted an examination of Australia's relationship with the region.
Mr Downer is in Brasilia, the first stop on a visit to the region that will take in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
"Until recently, the Latin American region tended to be overlooked in Australia's foreign and trade policy-making. The reverse was also true. Latin America has traditionally looked to the North and to Europe rather than to the Asia Pacific region. Both Australia and Latin America hold considerable potential for one another and there was growing recognition of this."
Mr Downer added that he was looking forward to the opportunity to discuss these growing linkages with Ministers from both regions at the East Asia Latin American Forum meeting in Santiago later in the month.
The Council on Australia Latin America Relations will seek to advance Australia's relationship with the region at an economic, social and political level, delivering initiatives that will build the relationships and raise awareness among Australians of the opportunities that the region presents.
Mr Vaile noted that, as the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade report had highlighted, there were significant opportunities in Latin America for Australian business.
"Latin America is opening its markets to the world and now is the time for Australian business to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the region," Mr Vaile said.
Members of the Council will be drawn from business, government and the academic community and it is hoped that the first meeting will take place early in the second half of 2001.
Media inquiries: Matt Francis 02 6277 7420
James Baker 02 6277 7420
Local Date: Thursday, 17-May-2012 16:30:19 EST