MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Arab League, South America summit looks for political common ground

Arab League and South American countries will open Tuesday their second summit with the purpose of boosting trade and cooperation. The idea of regular meetings between the 22 members of the Arab League and 12 South American countries was born in Brasilia in 2005, sponsored by Brazilian president Lula da Silva.

Although geographically very distant the two regions have long historic links in such areas as oil production (Venezuela and Saudi Arabia were five of the founding members of OPEC) and even migration: there’s a strong component of Arab descendents in South America. Sao Paulo for example is considered the second Syrian city of the world behind Damascus.

The purpose of the regular summits which includes government officials and business representatives is not only closer trade links, possibly some form of association, but also political, with strong cooperation in the international arena, according to Brazilian sources.

Precisely in the four years since its launching Brazil has seen trade with Arab countries zoom from 8 billion US dollars in 2004 to 20.2 billion in 2008.

The Arab World and South American countries have 10.5% of the world’s population but also a far greater larger portion of global farm produce, minerals and energy, plus the sufficient capital to undertake the development of these resources.

Besides, Mercosur is in the process of negotiations for a free trade association with the Cooperation Council of the Gulf that includes Saudi Arabia; Bahrein; Qatar; United Arab Emirates; Yemen; Kuwait plus Egypt and Jordan.

Recommendations from the different meetings to be held in the framework of the event are to be compiled and presented at the Doha summit from which, according to Arab sources, could emerge a joint cooperation mechanism to address the global financial crisis.

Among South American presidents confirmed at the event are Brazil’s Lula da Silva; Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. The summit takes place a day after the Arab League’s meeting to address the recent conflict of Gaza, which has divided opinions.

President Chavez alliance with several Arab oil producing countries is intense and even more with the regime of Iran, which the Venezuelan leader will visit following the summit. Chavez is one of the few allies of Teheran internationally.

Argentina is expected to request Arab support for its sovereignty claim over the disputed Falkland Islands, according to sources in Buenos Aires.

From Qatar the presidents of Brazil and Argentina leave for London to represent, next to Mexico, Latinamerica in the London G-20 summit hosted by PM Gordon Brown.

A draft final declaration from the Arab-South American summit apparently will pledge mutual political support in international affairs, and increasing trade, energy and technological exchanges.

The draft declaration also expresses “deep concern” about the international financial crisis and its impact on the economies of the Arab and South American countries.

The League of Arab States estimates that Arab countries have lost more than 2.5 trillion US dollars due to this crisis. The document calls for the creation of an international financial system capable of preventing financial speculation.

Beyond such political agreements, the summit will focus on ways to strengthen economic and trade cooperation.

The two regions are looking also to expand ties at the people level. The Arab League estimates that between 10 and 15% of the population of South America is of Arab origin, seven million in Brazil alone.