Mercosur

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush promises “strong dollar”; US to push for more markets in Pacific.

  United States president George Bush pledged full support for a “strong dollar” policy adding that “we expect the markets to reflect the true value of the currency” and “countries need to be mindful that we expect fair trade”.

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  WTO addresses agriculture.

  Exactly one month after the failure of the World Trade Organization meeting in Cancun, Mexico, negotiations resumed in Geneva having agriculture as the leading issue.

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  EU cautions about strong Euro

  Germany's Central Bank president Ernst Weltke cautioned this Tuesday in Frankfort about the negative consequences for European Union exports of a rapid appreciation of the Euro in money markets.

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba wants 75% debt relief from Argentina.

  Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa admitted that Cuba requested a 75% write off from the 1,9 billion US dollars standing debt it has with Argentina. On his way back from the first official visit in 14 years of an Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister to the Fidel Castro regime, Mr. Bielsa said that when you break ground, “you must be prepared to accept similar rules”.

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Demand your banks and advisors

  Nobel Prize winner economist Joseph Stiglitz said investors who purchased now defaulted Argentine sovereign bonds should demand their banks and financial advisors.

• Wednesday, October 15th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  A “constitutional” solution to Bolivian crisis seems closer

  The two junior partners of the ruling coalition in Bolivia ratified their support of embattled President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada facing one of the country's most serious civil uprisings and who has resorted to the Army to restore law and order in the capital La Paz.

• Tuesday, October 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian leader refuses to resign.

  Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada vowed Monday to remain in office despite ongoing anti-government protests in which some 30 people were killed this weekend, he lost the support of his vice president and several Cabinet ministers and looting and demonstrations against the export of natural gas continued.

• Tuesday, October 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Wives of jailed Cubans press Argentina to raise voice.

  The wives of several jailed Cuban dissidents called here Monday for Argentina to press the Cuban communist regime on respect for human rights.

• Tuesday, October 14th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  A lost generation?

  According to a United Nations paper 35% of Argentine adolescents don't study or work and have become a generation of “difficult reinsertion”

• Monday, October 13th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Social unrest in Bolivia extends.

  A new day of violence in the outskirts of the capital of La Paz, the capital of landlocked Bolivia, left a toll of five people killed and at least fifteen wounded, totalling fourteen deaths since the current unrest erupted a month ago.