From Paris, France - The arrival of the Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán, at Charles de Gaulle airport in the French capital, earlier this Tuesday, marked some nuances to the Argentine official's previous visits to the city of lights. The prelude to a spring day in Paris hopes to be a good omen for the entourage and its expectations.
However, this time, unlike the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus that forced him to movements limited by the pandemic, the lock of his visit is linked to an agenda surrounded by hermetics, a decision that would be linked to a possible offer that the official will present to achieve the agreement with the Paris Club.
After closing the conditions for the next agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which allows for the extension of deadlines for a cancellation of USD 2.8 billion with that body, the head of the Palais de Hacienda landed on French soil with a plan with which he will seek to convince the Paris Club board to refinance something more than $1.5 billion outstanding with that institution.
Such is the expectation of taking the go-ahead from this “club”, that the minister and his closest team avoided an agenda with the diplomatic assistance of the Argentine representation in France, leaving a few details exclusively in the hands of the Argentine ambassador to this country, Leonardo Costantino, a career official with excellent links with the government of President Emmanuel Macron.
Early in the day, and as Infobae was able to confirm, only one embassy vehicle would have waited for the official and his brief team of collaborators at the airport, and then made a first stop at the Ambassador's residence, an exclusive Parisian apartment, located opposite Foch Avenue, one of the most important addresses prestigious in Paris. Usually from there, and in the ambassador's own car, a black Renault Talisman, the minister attends to his agenda with the assistance of his press adviser.
According to the agenda reported by the Ministry of Economy, before his departure from Ezeiza airport, the minister plans to meet today with the president of the Paris Club, Emmanuel Moulin. She could also have an unofficial meeting with her French counterpart, Bruno Le Maire, and it would be unofficial because she is not informed on the official website of the finance portfolio, as is customary. The meeting could also take place in the offices that the Club has in the ministry located in the quiet district of Bercy, where in addition to housing this portfolio, it is usually a leisure area with shops and restaurants located in former Parisian wine stores.
Guzmán's plan, which as it transpired could include the advance of a payment, is a gesture that the minister hopes will be well received in order to reach a seven-year agreement, with a grace period for other payments, an interest rate of 1% in the first 24 months and then a 1.5%, compared to the 9% triggered by the agreement signed with Axel Kicillof in 2014 for not having an agreement with the IMF.
But hermetism is not just a condition or position of the minister. The demand for negotiations under strict hermetism is a restriction imposed on a case-by-case basis by the IMF and the Paris Club itself, a warning not to hinder Friday's meeting with the top of the monetary fund.
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice confirmed on Saturday that the Executive Board meeting to vote on the agreement with the IMF will be on Friday, March 25, that is four days after the capital maturity date of $2.8 billion.
In addition to any offer that Guzmán presents today in Paris, and getting a green light, final acceptance will be conditional on understanding with the Fund, a previous step for the Paris Club to accept a new payment plan, something that was already notified to the Argentine minister during his previous visit in 2021.
The minister's agenda in the French capital will be completed with a meeting with officials of the International Energy Agency, a meeting that would be joined by the highest energy authorities of the countries of the European Union, even as many of those present, since Monday have been discussing how to advance greater sanctions against Russia for the gas supply, something that finds the 27 divided.
He will also hold meetings with companies in the energy sector, such as last few days in Houston, USA. All in the midst of winter supply problems, high demand for the invasion of Ukraine, rising prices and the recent tension with Energy Secretary Dario Martinez and other officials from the area closer to the hard area of Kirchnerism.
Today's day of Guzmán and his team in Paris, who even on their previous trip preferred to stay in a very low-profile hotel, would culminate with a small and reserved reception at the residence of Ambassador Costantino. Empanadas and some good Argentine wine are usually the ambassador's customs for each of the meetings in which he is usually an excellent host.
So far, a meeting to communicate the results of the negotiations with the Paris Club, was not required either by the Ministry of Economy or by the Argentine Embassy in the French capital.
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