With a master class, and before an audience of ambassadors, diplomats and students, Minister Heraldo Muñoz opened the academic year of the "Andrés Bello" Diplomatic Academy. At the time, he was received by the newly assumed director of the Institution, Ambassador Juan Somavía.
During his lecture, the Minister of Foreign Affairs outlined the main aspects of the work that the Foreign Ministry envisages for the coming years. "A successful foreign policy is always a State policy which incorporates the government and opposition, and represents the best principles and traditions of a country and that is, indeed, what we are trying to do now, in this new administration of President Michelle Bachelet," said the Minister. "In other words, a foreign policy that has some fundamental principles and elements of continuity, but it also has elements of change," he added.
The Minister stressed the importance that our country wants to give to the region. Perhaps the main element of change is the intensification of links with Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly with South America. We want to return to being starring actors of the regional policy and we therefore believe that it is not only a matter of tradition, common history, but because we can speak to the world from Latin America, from what we are," he said.
In his presentation, the Minister added that differences are not an obstacle to finding a common view with the countries of Latin America: "Foreign policy will not have an ideological bias; it will have a pragmatic bias, we will have a commitment to the region and to our neighbors, respecting diversity, which does not prevent convergence." The Minister also addressed the issue of strengthening participation in forums in which Chile participates, such as UNASUR or CELAC. "That is why we will continue to actively participate in the Pacific Alliance, on the understanding that it is an economic platform for integration at different levels and that it is not an antagonistic bloc or exclusive of other instances of integration or search of cooperation."
The foreign policy chief, in turn, stressed that our foreign policy is not exhausted in the region. "This is a policy of openness to the world and Asia Pacific has a very important place, because it is the horizon of the future and Chile can be the bridge country or port to that region of the world, but we have to do with others like Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil."
For his part, the Director of the Diplomatic Academy, Juan Somavía, said that the institution must adapt to the new times and that there is a need to increase the link and "bring the Academy close to the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Ministry to the Academy." He further emphasized that there are outstanding issues such as gender and the need to teach with long term views, incorporating future issues into the Academy. "It is essential to be aware that the formation of new diplomats should be a global training and the Academy can serve the State and Chilean Society."