Shannon: Latin America is a Region of Opportunities

Published in La Nacion
(Argentina) on August 27th, 2008
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Holly Fernandez. Edited by .
The Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Tom Shannon, said today that “Latin America is a region of opportunities” for the United States, a zone where his country “should be present.”

The official from the administration of George W. Bush tried again to improve relations between the two countries. In addition to participating in the conference of the Council of the Americas, a forum for American businessmen where various ministers of national government lecture, Shannon was found united with President Cristina Kirchner starting from 4:30.

In addition to Fernandez de Kirchner, the following also participated: Chancellor Jorge Taiana, the Argentine Ambassador to Washington Hector Timerman, and the Ambassador from the United States in Buenos Aires Earl Anthony Wayne.

The aspect that defines the region “is change” and that has to do with “democracy and the markets,” said Shannon speaking in the conference entitled “Latin America and the Change of the Global Economy,” organized by the Council of the Americas and the Argentine Chamber of Commerce.

The American assistant secretary for western hemisphere affairs expressed that in addition to strategic associations, the United States should have what is called “patience of strategy,” and treat with “much care and much respect the process of democratization.”

“One must recognize that democracy has its system of immunity,” said Shannon.

In this sense, he said that “the region was isolated in the World for many decades.” He indicated that “now it is connected with the world” and sustained that the region “began a dialogue inside and outside the Americas.”

Additionally he added, “We recognize errors and are changing to guarantee success,” while stressing that “right now in the democracies of Latin America transitions from those totalitarian processes are emerging these democratic ones.”

About the presidential elections in his country he said that “it is about two very distinct, very different candidates,” but he clarified that “it is important to understand that the winner is going to encounter the world we live in today and the challenges of the United States are going to be the same.”

Careful with the Analysts

Consulted about the confrontation between the president (Kirchner) and the Bank of Spain, after the news that the day before yesterday had qualified Argentina as a country of “very elevated risk” for investments, Shannon assured that “one always has to treat with care the opinions of the analysts because the world changes rapidly.”

And he added, “They help to understand but cannot be the only source of information.” Previously, high diplomatic sources had manifested to TELAM (Official News Agency of the Argentine Republic) that the previsions of financial consultants about a “possible default” of Argentina was “too exaggerated.”


El secretario de Estado adjunto para Asuntos Hemisféricos de los Estados Unidos, Thomas Shannon, dijo hoy que "América latina es una región de oportunidades" para los Estados Unidos, una zona donde su país "debe estar presente".

Así, el funcionario de la administración de George W. Bush dio un nuevo paso para mejorar las relaciones entre los dos países. Además de participar en la conferencia del Consejo de las Américas, foro de empresarios norteamericanos, en el que disertaron varios ministros del gobierno nacional, Shannon, desde las 16.30 se encuentra reunido con la presidenta Cristina Kirchner.

De la reunión en la Casa Rosada participan, además de Fernández de Kirchner, el canciller, Jorge Taiana; el embajador argentino en Washington, Héctor Timerman, y el embajador de los Estados Unidos en Buenos Aires, Earl Anthony Wayne.

El aspecto que define a la región "es el cambio" y ello tiene que ver con la "democracia y los mercados", dijo Shannon al hablar en la Conferencia "Latinoamérica y el cambio de la economía global", organizada por el Consejo de las Américas y la Cámara Argentina de Comercio.

Así, el secretario adjunto para asuntos hemisféricos norteamericano, expresó que además de asociaciones estratégicas, Estados Unidos debe tener lo que se llama "paciencia de estrategia", y tratar con "mucho cuidado y mucho respeto a los procesos democráticos".

"Hay que reconocer que la democracia tiene su sistema de inmunidad", dijo Shannon.

En ese sentido, dijo que "la región estuvo muchas décadas aislada en el mundo". Y señaló que "ahora está conectada con el mundo" y sostuvo que la región "empezó un diálogo, dentro y fuera de las Américas".

Además, agregó: "Reconocimos errores y cambiamos para garantizar el éxito". Al tiempo que destacó que "en este momento están surgiendo en las democracias de América latina una transición entre aquellos procesos totalitarios y estos democráticos".

Sobre las elecciones presidenciales en su país dijo que "se trata de dos candidatos muy marcados, muy diferentes", pero aclaró que "es importante entender que el ganador va a encontrar el mundo que vivimos hoy y los desafíos de Estados Unidos van a ser los mismos".

Cuidado con los analistas. Consultado sobre el enfrentamiento entre la Presidenta y el Banco de España, tras el informe que anteayer había calificado a la Argentina como un país de "riesgo muy elevado" para las inversiones, Shannon aseguró que "uno siempre tiene que tratar con cuidado las opiniones de analistas, [porque] el mundo cambia rápido".

Y añadió: "Ayudan a entender, pero no puede ser la única fuente de información". Previamente, altas fuentes diplomáticas habían manifestado a Télam que las previsiones de consultoras financieras sobre un "posible default" de Argentina eran "bastante exageradas".

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