MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Powell Heads for Talks in Argentina.

Secretary of State Colin Powell is on a goodwill mission to Argentina, ready to offer friendship to newly installed President Nestor Kirchner and hoping to put U.S.-Argentine relations on a sounder footing.

Powell was flying to Buenos Aires today Tuesday after attending an Organization of American States foreign ministers meeting here on Monday.

A senior OAS official said there was optimism that the U.S.-Argentine relations can prosper now that President Bush has a new team of economic advisers.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill caused an uproar in 2001 when he described Argentina as a country "that continues to consume the money of the plumbers and carpenters in the United States who make $50,000 a year and wonder what in the world we're doing with their money."

Powell planned to spend about 2 1/2 hours in Argentina, including a 50-minute meeting with Kirchner at the presidential palace.

"I really want to listen to him as he tells me about his plans, his aspirations, what he hopes for his administration," Powell said Sunday.

"The United States stands ready to help," Powell said, alluding to Argentina's economic difficulties.

In his fly over the Andes Mountains from Santiago de Chile to Buenos Aires he will be escort by the argentine Foreign Minister Mr. Ricardo Bielsa so they will have at least two hours to talk.