El Salvador to strengthen TT ties

"Taken from our B U S I N E S S section.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Minister Knowlson Gift has welcomed the decision by El Salvador to establish an Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago. The Minister met last week with a delegation from El Salvador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was in TT finalising plans to open the mission.

The delegation, which was headed by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Calix Lopez, held extensive talks with Minister Gift on initiatives for strengthening areas of bilateral and technical co-operation. With respect to establishing a closer economic relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador, it is envisaged that there would be co-operation in the energy sector. Gift said discussions also took place on the possibility of a Free Trade Agreement with El Salvador, which would be patterned on the Costa Rica-TT Free Trade Agreement. In light of this, air transportation is significant to facilitate the movement of goods and services, not only between TT and El Salvador, but Caricom and El Salvador.

The Minister told the delegation that TT’s geographical location makes it an ideal transportation hub between Central and South America. He said both countries are prepared to discuss further a partnering arrangement between El Salvador’s national airline, TACA and BWIA. This arrangement would be along the lines of the present negotiation Trinidad and Tobago has with the Government of Panama and its airline COPA. Also attending the meeting was TT’s Honorary Consul to El Salvador, prominent businessman, Vincent Quesnel.