Vaccines: government declares itself “neutral” in “the fighting between the United States and China”

Foreign Minister Felipe Sola stressed that the negotiations for obtaining vaccines against the Coronavirus “do not mean a geopolitical location for Argentina” and recalled the active neutrality that “our country has historically maintained and this is its identity.”

Speaking to CNN’s reference in Spanish, the official said that “Argentina greatly values ​​having an identity,” which is “active neutrality, which is, in essence, a stance on independence that tries not to succumb to any kind of fighting, such as the one between the United States and China.”

He also explained that “although the issue of vaccines is the most important at the present time, the agreements reached with these countries are not sufficient to transfer other issues to this aspect.”

With regard to vaccinations that are being developed in Russia, the Foreign Minister noted: “Argentina has a very strong will to know the Russian vaccine, and in this way we were able to obtain a vaccine that proves to be one of the best vaccines.”

Along these lines, he pointed out that “we already have more than 5 million Sputnik, the fifth and they are continuing to arrive,” and considered that “Russia’s gesture must be appreciated.”

In the interview – aired last night – Sola said that in the first months since the pandemic was declared, a huge number of conference calls by foreign ministers from Europe, Latin America, and sometimes with Asia were talked about, “that the product of innovations and research that forced the epidemic to be public goods.” Accessible to all peoples. ”

He said, “While this was happening, there was a tremendous amount of purchases by the superpowers, through prior contracts, for vaccines that had not finished from Phase Three,” of which “there was a double game: I buy much more than I need, and he emphasized and talked about the need for Help and for the vaccine to be well available. ”

In another arrangement, when asked about the discussions within Mercosur, Sola indicated that “there is a request from Uruguay and Brazil to reduce the common external tariff, which is not equal, it reaches 35%, but in many cases it is less.”

He added, “Then there is the other argument, which is to make the bloc more flexible. Uruguay is pushing it hard, but also Brazil,” the official explained.

Sula finally spoke about the bloc’s foreign ministers’ meeting. “We will meet again in May in person in Buenos Aires, and I hope the economy ministers will also come.”