23 August 1995

VISIT BY ARGENTINE FOREIGN AND TRADE MINISTER

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Gareth Evans, said today that the visit by Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dr Guido Di Tella from 18 to 24 August - the first visit by Dr Di Tella to Australia - highlights the strength, diversity and importance of the relationship between Australia and Argentina.

"The visit by Dr Di Tella builds on the strong relations developed between Australia and Argentina over the years and through our shared interests in world forums such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation."

"Argentina is an especially valued friend of Australia's in international coalitions like the Cairns Group and the Valdivia Group" said Senator Evans. "Together we have worked to achieve the best outcomes for our countries - be it international trade negotiations, the environment, nuclear testing, disarmament, or economic and social development issues ."

"My discussions with Dr Di Tella today were wide-ranging, reflecting the breadth of shared interests between our two countries and touched on not only developments in our two countries but also covered our respective regions of Latin America and the Asia-Pacific and a raft of issues in the international sphere."

During the course of their meeting, Senator Evans and Dr Di Tella signed a bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement. The Agreement reinforces the strengthening trade and investment relationship between Australia and Argentina. Senator Evans said that he was delighted to sign the Agreement as he knew it would make a substantial contribution to the expanding bilateral trade and investment relationship.

Two way trade for 1994-95 was $183 million, reflecting the steady, upward trend in total trade over the last five years. Exports to Argentina have grown at over 8 per cent per annum during the last decade and imports have grown faster at 21 per cent per annum.

Senator Evans and Dr Di Tella also expressed their support for the Seminar on Cooperative Security to be held in Buenos Aires later this year. The seminar is to be co-sponsored by the Argentine Council for International Relations and the Peace Research Centre at the Australian National University

Dr Di Tella has been Argentina's Foreign and Trade Minister since 1991. From 1989-91 he was the Argentine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Washington. Dr Di Tella was National Deputy for the Justicialist Party, Province of Buenos Aires, 1988-89. During the 1980s and 1970s Dr Di Tella pursued his academic career and co-authored a number of books with leading academics, including C P Kindleberger, D C M Platt, and R Dornbusch.

CANBERRA