Correa to Attend MERCOSUR Summit in Urugua

Quito, Dec 16. -Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa will attend the Summit of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) that will be held next Tuesday in Uruguay, where he will express his country's interest in joining the organization as a full-fledged member, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño said.Correa met with several ministers at the Carondelet Palace, where Patiño informed that they prepared the trip with the president to the forum of MERCOSUR (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and a visit by Colombian President Juan Manual Santos next Monday.

They also analyzed with Correa the commercial negotiations with the European Union (EU).

In that regard, Patiño said the government will never sign anything implying a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Europe.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas said that Ecuador has put forward the possibility of holding talks with Europe about a treaty that will include development and the immigrants' issue, but Europe wants to impose a FTA on us, which we will not accept. (Prensa Latina)