-to reopen embassy here soon
PRIME Minister Samuel Hinds and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett last evening attended a reception hosted at the Pegasus Hotel by Minister Luis Martino, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of Argentina in honour of the captain and crew of the visiting Argentine Naval vessel, the A.R.A. Libertad. Addressing the evening’s proceedings, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett, on behalf of the government, welcomed the Captain of the ship, Mr. Guillermo Cyburec and his crew to these shores, moreso for listing Guyana as part of its 42nd Training Voyage.
She also recognized the presence of the first female crewmember to have graduated this year from the Argentine Naval Academy, as well as cadets from Brazil, Chile, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said the re-opening of an Argentine mission here after a hiatus of 20 years signals a positive step towards the deepening of bilateral relations between Guyana and Argentina, as well as the strengthening of South American integration through mutual membership of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).                                                       
“As the Pro Tempore President of UNASUR,” Minister Rodriges-Birkett said, “Guyana is honoured to be chosen as a port of call for the ‘A.R.A. Libertad’, and further look forward to continuing to forge such linkages between the two countries and peoples in the interest of realizing true South American integration.”

Minister Luis Martino, in turn, expressed his gratitude for Guyana’s assistance in guiding the process of the reopening of an Argentine mission here, and added that the presence of the naval vessel Port Georgetown is a symbol of the spirit of friendship and goodwill which exists between the two countries.

Since Guyana and Argentina established diplomatic ties on October 6, 1972, both countries have shared a cooperative bilateral relationship which resulted in the signing of agreements for their mutual benefit. The main agreements signed to date are to do with matters pertaining to Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, as well as the Abolition of Visas for holders of Diplomatic, Official and Ordinary Passports.
During the period 1980-1991, Argentina also maintained an embassy in Georgetown. At the regional level, Guyana and Argentina are active members of UNASUR as well as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Rio Group/Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CALC) mechanism.
The reopening of a mission here will provide the opportunity for more fruitful collaboration under the CARICOM-Argentina cooperation mechanism. (GINA)