Uruguay reacts with silence to repeated Argentine provocations
The Uruguayan government said on Monday there will be no public statements on the latest “situations” with Argentina, and Uruguay will keep to what was agreed at presidential level during the last (31 July) Mercosur extraordinary meeting in Brasilia.
“We will keep to what was agreed by President (Jose) Mujica with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez when they met in Brazil last week and that was to lower the level of discrepancies and avoid having the media expose exchanges relative to the situation”, said the Executive Deputy Secretary Diego Canepa following Monday’s cabinet meeting.
The Argentine government is demanding that Uruguayan officials who allegedly claimed there was an attempt by the Dutch/Argentine Riovia company in charge of dredging the River Plate access channels to bribe them for an extension of a contract, to make those very statements before an Argentine court.
Argentina said that until then it will freeze all negotiations related to the dredging of the Martin Garcia canal that is vital for Uruguay’s exports of grains, oilseeds and pulp from the port of Nueva Palmira, but which the government of President Cristina Fernandez has been deliberately delaying because of the powerful interests of Buenos Aires that does not approve of a successful competitive terminal just across the River Plate.
The Argentine freeze was implemented by simply not accepting one of the bidders for the deep dredging of the agreed Martin Garcia tender which would then enable vessels to leave Nueva Palmira fully loaded. The bidder questioned by Argentina is precisely Riovía, allegedly involved in the bribe attempt and which for years has been doing the dredging of the River Plate canals.
The bribe attempt was informed by the Uruguayan officials to a special committee of the Uruguayan parliament and the bidding process for the deep dredging Martin Garcia canal was also questioned by Uruguay’s National Auditing Office, particularly the terms for the temporary contract extension for Riovia to keep working until the results of the tender.
End of the line: Foreign Minister Hector Timerman found the perfect excuse to further delay a long exhausting conciliatory effort from President Mujica to have Argentina accept the deep dredging of the Martin Garcia canal, and stated that he expected the bribe allegations to be presented before the Argentine justice.
The Uruguayan government all along tried to downplay the incident with the sole purpose of getting ahead with the dredging. At the time the Uruguayan officials involved also tried to calm the waters arguing the ‘bribe attempt claims’ were merely ‘here-says’.
But Timerman pointed his guns to Ambassador Francisco Bustillo who together with Argentine ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritán are responsible for the River Plate Administrative Commission, CARP which manages all issues relative to the world’s widest estuary, including the maintenance and dredging of the access canals.
Bustillo who was directly involved in the alleged bribe attempt claim said in a press interview that who introduced him to the RIovía representative was none less than his counterpart Garcia Moritán. Riovia all along has argued that it was more practical to have an extension of their contract that gets involved in a costly, complicated tender process.
But Bustillo before joining CARP was ambassador in Buenos Aires and during his time there was a scandal involving the import of luxury cars free of tax for diplomats which where then sold in the Argentine market. In the case of Ambassador Bustillo, according to Argentine claims in 2007 he imported two Porsche, valued at 98.000 dollars each and two BMW M3 and X5.
Now Timerman has resurfaced the case and is demanding Uruguay exempts Bustillo of his diplomatic immunity so he can face charges of smuggling in Argentina.
And last but not least Argentina has now resurrected claims dating back to September 2011 arguing that the Uruguayan UPM-Botnia pulp mill annual production “is well above the agreed million tons” to ensure protection of the environment.
The pulp mill controversy, built on the shared River Uruguay, soured Uruguay/Argentina relations during almost six years and was finally de-activated when President Mujica was elected who adopted an entirely conciliatory attitude towards President Cristina Fernandez and following a ruling from the International Court of Justice in The Hague which was mostly favourable to Uruguay.
Meanwhile in Montevideo Ambassador Bustillo has requested authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to press charges against Minister Timerman before a Uruguayan court for “political persecution” and Foreign Minister Luis Almagro said he would take to court all details referred to the Martin Canal bidding process.
However Uruguayan high ranking and former diplomats are recommending that ambassador Bustillo be removed from CARP and the canal negotiations, since he is “too irritating” for the Argentines, one of the few diplomatic cards left to overcome the escalating situation.
Members of the opposition have told President Mujica to forget his “conciliatory policy” towards Cristina Fernandez and have Uruguay unilaterally organize the dredging of the Martin Garcia canal for which he will have complete support from the entire Uruguayan political arch.
Suggested Stories
-
May 17th 2013
Argentina’s ‘autarkic project’ worsens bilateral relations and multiplies problems
-
May 17th 2013
Argentine whitewash bill turning into ugly electoral debate
-
May 17th 2013
Uruguay’s José Mujica lauds booming Brazil ties
-
May 15th 2013
Paraguay on Independence Day blasts Argentina and Brazil over “power resource exploitation”
33 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
You are missing the point.
As long as Timmidman holds out, it increases the liklihood, almost to a certainty, that Riovia will be handed a further 'extension' to keep the Argie channels open and ensure the bribes paid to the Argie government keep pace.
As usual, Uruguay will suffer because of their southern friends.
It's time to tell the MBOA to take a running jump at herself and contract a dredger of your own.
Kretina's only interest is the destruction of Uruguay's oil seed production because you're competing with her's and she doesn't like competition of any sort!!!!!
Typical Brit, when you can't get your way, use violence and break treaties. Basically sums up your entire history.
Pay no attention to TiT. He's scared. Argies are breaking the treaties. As always.
Pot calling kettle ?
We ALL have history some wish to select theirs, dont you?
What a stupid comment - even for you.
Where did I mention violence and how can Argentina possibly be considered to be abiding by the treaty?
He is doing what he typically does. Disgress, make an unsupported statement....than, if all else fails, make a senseless rheotorical statement. He's like a antagonist, perhaps a catalyst is a better word. But most pay him no mind, he is quite harmless.......like a whale shark.
Correct me if I'm wrong, redpoll, but I understand that the point of contamination is the Gualyguachu main drainage system.
If this is true then the pollution is produced by the very people who a vociferrously protesting about it!!!!
I would be VERY comfortable with that.
@20 Chris I would be VERY uncomfortable with that
Too right. The delay is an effective blockade.
Get some company to begin dredging, a uruguayan company, pay them yourselves, short term contract and when the argentine legal tussle is ended carry on as you both see fit.
@25 I agree, this IS the key. I wonder if the drawings have gone to the Chin yet?
Or at worse, she is perhaps thinking he is a fool,
She is but a bully who intends to get her own way, and with hugo in tow, hopes intimidation will work,
Perhaps mr mujica, should consider looking elsewhere for help, and new partners,
Im sure the Americans or brits would consider any request.
.
did they have any border issues prior to the European settlers grabbing and dividing the land? interesting to find out, please shed some light on a part of history you never discuss?
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!