THE Tanaiste held a series of meetings in Santiago yesterday with Chilean political and business leaders. Today, Mr Spring travels to Argentina before attending a meeting of EU and South American countries in Bolivia on Sunday.
Yesterday he briefed the Chilean President, Mr Eduardo Frei, the Finance Minister, Mr Eduardo Aninat, and the Forieign Minister, Mr Jose Miguel Insulza, on Ireland's forthcoming EU presidency. According to a spokesman, they also discussed the developing relations between the EU and Latin America.
Earlier he had breakfast with leaders of the Chilean business community, at which he said Ireland could provide a gateway to the EU market for Chilean exporters. The meeting follows a trade mission to Chile last year, coinciding with the visit there of President Robinson, in which 20 Irish companies took part.
Today, Mr Spring will meet the Argentinian President and Foreign Minister in Buenos Aires and will make a speech on the EU's external relations.