MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur meeting in England

The three Latinamerican presidents participating in the Progressive Governance conference taking place in Bagshot, south England, called for an “extraordinary meeting” of Mercosur members to improve South American integration and advance in physical infrastructure projects.

Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Néstor Kirchner (Argentina) and Ricardo Lagos (Chile) held an early Monday morning trilateral meeting in Surrey with the purpose of finding ways "to strengthen and expand Mercosur", turning it into a solid block to enable negotiations with the United States and the European Union.

"We recognize it's a historical moment and we want to advance with concrete achievements towards a greater integration. We must become a plural and integrated voice in world affairs", said President Kirchner.

Together with eleven other progressive world leaders who have an affinity for Britain's ruling Labour Party Third Way initiative, the three Latinamerican presidents participated in the two days conference sponsored by British Labour, with Prime Minister Tony Blair as the main star of the event.

"We're going to convene an extraordinary meeting of Mercosur to discuss specific actions for the whole of South America, particularly physical integration infrastructure projects", indicated Chilean President Lagos during a press conference after the regional summit.

Mercosur currently has four full members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, two associate members, Bolivia and Chile, and several others (Peru and Venezuela) wishing incorporation.

The expansion of Mercosur and closer South American integration is an initiative launched by Brazilian president Lula da Silva with full support of his Argentine counterpart Mr. Kirchner, both of whom want to build a strong capacity for vis-à-vis negotiations with the US and the EU.

It was also agreed that the agenda of infrastructure projects and practical integration measures should be ready for proposal in no more than sixty days possibly in coincidence with the coming technical meeting of the Andean Development Corporation next August. As to the financing of the ambitious infrastructure projects, partly will come from the same region and the rest from a multilateral institution (not related to the IMF or the World Bank considered obsolete) to be created and funded by the rich countries of the world.

During his address to the Progressive Governance conference President Lula da Silva stated he was not asking for money, but rather multilateral agreements that help with infrastructure and technology projects.

"Last century rich countries managed to globalize their economies and social policies, it's time rich and poor nations discuss how to distribute wealth", indicated Mr. Lula da Silva who also pointed out that technology has advanced living and quality of life standards, "but that is also destroying the planet".

Finally the three presidents agreed on a common position for the second World Trade Organization to be held next September in Cancún, Mexico.