European, Latin American leaders agree on issues, but not specifics

Published: 2008-05-19

LIMA, Peru (CNS) -- Leaders of more than 50 nations in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe pledged to fight poverty and climate change in a wide-ranging statement that was long on promises but short on specific actions. The statement, issued at the end of a summit of heads of state May 16, highlighted cooperation to reduce poverty, increase integration among the regions and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. Except for a reference to meeting the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, however, no specific steps were outlined. Political differences on various issues made specific agreements among the countries elusive. In discussions about biofuels, some leaders wanted to take a cautious approach, but Brazil lobbied for them to give sugar cane-based ethanol a larger role in the region. Discussions about climate change also were marked by disparities between greenhouse-gas-emitting European nations and Latin American countries, which account for only a small fraction of the emissions that contribute to global warming. Trade was another point of contention.

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