Wilhelm Lege, who heads the German- Argentine Chamber of Industry and Trade in Buenos Aires. He compared opportunities in Latin America to those in Asia. The meeting will address topics such as energy production and oil, agricultural trade, tourism and medical technology. According to the Ibero-America Association, German investments amount to 46.5 billion dollars in the region, third place after the United States and Spain. Most of the German direct investment is concentrated on two key economies of Latin America - Brazil, with 42 per cent, and Mexico with 28 per cent. German officials say the advantage of doing business in Latin America are the low salaries and a motivated work force, which weigh against such disadvantages as slow bureaucracy, corruption and legal shortcomings. They are also pressing for a resolution of the currently stalled negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur. Katarina Steinwachs of the German chamber in Bogota reported on concerns by German investors about the ongoing violence in Colombia that bordered on civil war. She said the host country was a very attractive market, but many investors would think twice before putting their money there. ---SP 2331 Local Time 2031 GMT
