Uruguay and Argentina finally reached on Wednesday an agreement for the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay which should end the long-standing dispute over the construction of the Finnish UPM/Botnia pulp mill dating back to 2005.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica will be meeting with his peer Cristina Kirchner Wednesday in Buenos Aires in what seems an attempt to unbind differences relative to the joint monitoring of the river Uruguay, particularly the Finnish pulp mill UPM/Botnia which is at the heart of the ongoing dispute between the neighbouring countries.
Discussions for the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay with Argentina are “not blocked” and “we have a very strong commitment with the on-going negotiations” said Uruguayan Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro following Monday morning’s ministerial cabinet meeting headed by President Jose Mujica.
Uruguay and Argentina agreed Wednesday on a 48 hours “reflection period” before retaking formal negotiations for the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay, which is at the heart of the pulp mills dispute, and alleged contamination, between the neighbouring countries.
The Argentine city of Gualeguaychú and Fray Bentos across the shared River Uruguay celebrated Monday the first month of the end to pickets that since 2006 had impeded traffic and trade across the international bridge linking the two neighbouring locations.
“The ball is now on the Argentine court” said Uruguayan Vice-president Danilo Astori commenting on the country’s counterproposal for the monitoring plan to be jointly applied with Argentina to pulp mills, other industries and urban locations straddling the shared River Uruguay.
Argentina’s Foreign Affairs minister Héctor Timerman cautioned that the dispute with Uruguay over the Botnia/UPM pulp mill and its environmental impact can’t be seen as “a football match where one side wins and the other looses”, but rather as a situation where “the peoples of both countries benefit”.
Uruguay will reply next week Argentina’s proposal for the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay, said Uruguayan Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro after holding a three hours meeting with his visiting counterpart Hector Timerman.
Brazil is willing to help Argentina and Uruguay with the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay which is at the heart of a pulp mill standing dispute between both countries. Argentina and Uruguay Foreign Affairs ministers are scheduled to meet Tuesday in Montevideo to address the issue.
Argentina’s newly appointed Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman begins next Tuesday a round of regional contacts which will take him to Uruguay, Brazil and Chile.