Ukraine, Egypt explore preferential trade deal: Zelenskyy    Egypt, Russia's Rosatom review grid readiness for El-Dabaa nuclear plant    Mastercard Unveils AI-Powered Card Fraud Prevention Service in EEMEA Region, Starting from Egypt    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Egyptian pound climbs against dollar at Wednesday's close    New accords on trade, security strengthen Egypt-Oman Relations    Egypt launches public-private partnership to curb c-sections, improve maternal, child health    Gaza under Israeli siege as death toll mounts, famine looms    EMRA, Elsewedy sign partnership to explore, develop phosphate reserves in Sebaiya    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt Post discusses enhanced cooperation with Ivorian counterpart    Egypt's Environment Minister calls for stronger action on desertification, climate resilience in Africa    Egypt in diplomatic push for Gaza truce, Iran-Israel de-escalation    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting healthcare cooperation        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Egypt discovers three New Kingdom tombs in Luxor's Dra' Abu El-Naga    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Obama arrives in Argentina to reset relations
Published in Amwal Al Ghad on 23 - 03 - 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Argentina on Wednesday to reset diplomatic relations and strengthen trade ties with a country that was part of South America's left-wing bloc until pro-business President Mauricio Macri took power in December.
Obama's two-day visit marks a rapprochement after years of sour relations and is a sign of support for Macri's investor-friendly reforms aimed at opening up Latin America's third biggest economy.
Obama and his family landed in Buenos Aires shortly after 1 a.m. and were met by Argentina's foreign minister, Susana Malcorra, before being whisked away to the U.S. ambassador's residence.
The U.S. leader will hold talks with Macri on Wednesday morning ahead of a joint press conference. He will also lay a wreath at the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral, where Pope Francis has celebrated Mass, and meet young entrepreneurs before attending a state dinner.
French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi also recently visited Argentina, quick to reach out to a South American leader whose predecessor forged closer ties with Venezuela, Iran and China.
"It's good that Obama is visiting. Closing ourselves off in a Chavez-like system was not the way to go," said Claudio Mazzakalli, a 32-year-old locksmith, referring to Venezuela's former socialist president, Hugo Chavez.
In his first 100 days in office, Macri lifted capital and trade controls, slashed bloated power subsidies and cut a debt deal with "holdout" creditors in the United States. U.S. officials say Obama has been impressed by the pace of reform.
Yet Macri still has to grapple with double-digit inflation, a yawning fiscal deficit and a shortage of hard currency.
Luring foreign investors is a cornerstone of his strategy to revive the spluttering economy, and Obama arrives with a large business delegation in tow.
'DIRTY WAR'
Left-wing political parties have promised protests during Obama's visit, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the coup on March 24, 1976, that installed the "dirty war" military junta.
Some are wary of too warm a detente with Washington, an early supporter of the bloody 1976-1983 dictatorship.
"The timing of the visit is a provocation," said Miguel Funes, 39, a lawmaker from former President Cristina Fernandez' Front for Victory party.
The United States initially backed the dictatorship, which killed up to 30,000 people in a crackdown against Marxist rebels, labor unions and leftist opponents.
Many were "forcibly disappeared" - a euphemism for kidnapped and murdered - and hundreds of children were stolen from their imprisoned parents.
The United States announced last week it would declassify documents from U.S. military and intelligence agencies related to the dictatorship, a move aimed at soothing criticism over the timing of the trip. Obama will also honor the victims of the dictatorship on Thursday before flying to Patagonia.
The last U.S. president to visit Argentina was George W. Bush, who attended the Summit of the Americas in 2005, when South America's leftist "Pink Tide" was in full flow and anti-U.S. sentiment ran high across the region.
The turbulent relationship stretches back decades. In the 1990s, relations were so close the foreign minister of right-wing President Carlos Menem described them as "carnal".
But Argentina's 2001-2002 economic depression left millions of Argentines fuming against the U.S.-backed neoliberal reforms of the 1990s. Relations turned increasingly hostile during Fernandez's 2008-2015 rule.
Macri has urged a "productive and intelligent" relationship. He and Obama will discuss the economy, climate change and drug trafficking. U.S. officials say a number of bilateral agreements are expected.
Carlos Guglielmi, a bank worker, welcomed the thaw in relations but said his main concern is Macri's economic reforms.
"It's good that Macri has Obama's support. But what he needs is the support of the Argentine people," said Guglielmi. "If he governs only for the rich and keeps cutting state spending, his popularity won't last."
Source: Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.