EU, Latin America leaders stress trade, environment at summit

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

LIMA (AFP) — EU and Latin American leaders vowed to do more to further trade between their regions and tackle global warming and poverty as they wrapped up a summit late Friday in the Peruvian capital Lima.

The 50 heads of state and government pledged in a joint statement to "actively pursue" two free trade agreements between Europe and Central American countries and the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru).

They also stated that "overcoming poverty, inequality and exclusion is crucial for the attainment of social cohesion, for sustainable development and for the effectiveness of our bi-regional partnership," and asserted that climate change was a drag on economic growth.

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso, Spanish Prime Minister...