Asunción, Agencia IP.- The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rubén Ramírez, welcomed his Swiss counterpart, Ignazio Cassis, marking the first official visit of a Swiss foreign minister to Paraguay.
In a joint statement, the authorities highlighted the commercial opportunities and the potential for stronger relations following President Santiago Peña’s visit to the Swiss Confederation at the end of January, accompanied by Ramírez.
«Paraguay appreciates this gesture. Today’s visit allowed us to address key issues on the agenda,» said the Paraguayan foreign minister. During his visit, President Peña was received by Vice President and Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and Secretary of State for Trade Affairs Helen Budlinger.
One of the main topics discussed was the agreement between Mercosur and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
This agreement was reached in August 2019, and negotiations for its implementation «are in a very advanced stage,» stated Ramírez.
He also noted that the terms of an air transport agreement between the two countries have been finalized.