Quispe tells Sputnik that he's promoting a joint Chile-Argentina Pacifica project aimed at establishing a short Pacific route from Latin America to Asia.
Sputnik: What is your mission here at the Eastern Economic Forum?
Yamil Emanuel Quispe: Well, first of all, to visit Vladivostok for the first time - an amazing city, amazing culture, people. I am surprised to see so many delegates and people here, all of them are open to new things, new projects and new ideas. I am amazed. First of all, we are introducing some local partners, a Pacifica, which is our agenda, to promote direct relation between Chile and Argentina and promote this economic block and to have better commercial relations with the BRICS bloc through the Asia-Pacific. I traveled here from Argentina by plane, but we may find a shorter way through the Pacific. So, we are working and putting all our efforts in this project.
Sputnik: What are the goods, services and kinds of businesses that you represent? What is your region ready to exchange with your partners here?
Yamil Emanuel Quispe: Good question! I'm in charge of petrochemical companies in Neuquen, which is a province and has one of the main assets of Argentina, Vaca Muerta, which has major deposits of oil and gas, being the second-biggest in the world in gas and the fourth in the world in oil. We are convinced that this is an opportunity not only for Argentina, but also a big opportunity to work with Russian and Chinese partners. There are more opportunities, for instance, for oil and gas companies, services from Tatarstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. Here, we have a place where we find all of them altogether, looking for new ideas, new projects. I think it's well worth being here now.
Sputnik: Argentina and Russia are both in the G20 and your country hosted the summit several years ago in Buenos Aires. Has it played a role in development for your province in particular and for the country in general? How big a role is it for this club?
Yamil Emanuel Quispe: As for the G20, hosting this great event was something incredible for Argentina and Buenos Aires. It was truly the center of the world at the time with 20 presidents from different countries looking for new ideas, new opportunities... [This gave us an opportunity] to show off Argentina and to show the world we are more than tango and football. We also have leaders with new ideas, and most of them are young. We have many things to share with the world. And I think many presidents were very surprised at what they found in Buenos Aires.
Sputnik: Many countries in the G20 are afraid to have direct ties with Russia because of the fear of sanctions from the US over Ukraine. Do you think it's an obstacle for direct business communication or is it not?
Yamil Emanuel Quispe: I'd say a crisis represents opportunities. I always say that good leaders are in the business of building bridges, and this kind of crazy economic and political situation makes us think of new ways to find solutions. I think all of the countries are convinced that we should find new solutions and come on, we live on the same planet, so we should find a solution. Of course, as I have heard, many leaders are seeking an urgent solution. We support that idea, but I'm convinced that we will find many ways, many new ideas to improve our bilateral relations with Russia.