Til disse strategiske grunde vil jeg - med forsamlingens tilladelse - tilføje de fælles historiske, kulturelle og sproglige træk, der gør dette subkontinent til det mest europæiserede område mellem de to verdenshave. Millioner af italienere, spaniere og portugisere - for nu at blot fremføre nogle eksempler - har i generationer levet i disse lande.
I would go so far as to say that, in addition to the strategic reasons, there are historical, cultural and linguistic features which mean that the subcontinent is the most Europeanized area lying between the two Oceans: for generations, millions of Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese - to name but a few - have been living in those countries, millions of European emigrants, then, who share with the local people the struggle against poverty and social marginalization.