MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur extraordinary meeting in Montevideo

Mercosur full member countries Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy will be meeting as of this Monday in Montevideo, Uruguay to consider free trade market negotiations with the Community of Andean Nations, CAN.

The extraordinary reunion in the framework of the Common Market Council will analyze recent advances in a September out-of-agenda meeting held in New York in the seat of United Nations between Mercosur and CAN ministers, and in anticipation of a second similar event supposedly at mid week but in Lima, Peru.

According to Juan Rosas Penso Chairman of ALADI, Latinamerican Integration Association, during the New York meeting new proposals were presented following last August initiatives agreed in Montevideo, and "several obstacles in certain specific trade areas, were overcome".

After over four and a half years of negotiations, Mercosur has set a December 17 deadline for a formal free trade agreement with CAN. A presidential summit in Montevideo on that date with heads of government from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile, plus the CAN five, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela should give the finishing touches to the document.

According to Mr. Rosas Penso the original idea of a ten year gradual decrease in tariffs for CAN members and Paraguay and Uruguay, Mercosur smallest members, and a six year period for Argentina and Brazil, "have been integrated to the overall accord".

"Hermetic negotiations, the willingness of all parties and Peru's agreements with Mercosur reached during Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's official September visit to Lima have been crucial for the new tempo", said Mr. Rosas Penso.

Next December 17, if Mercosur plus associate member Chile and CAN members finally sign an agreement, the whole of South America will be part of a common trade accord.

Apparently this Monday Mercosur ministers will make official the nomination of former Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde as head of the block's Permanent Committee.

The naming of Mr. Duhalde proposed by Uruguayan president Jorge Batlle with the agreement of Mr. Lula da Silva from Brazil and Nestor Kirchner from Argentina is intended to help with the attainment of regional "consensus" to keep advancing towards the full integration of South America.

Mr. Duhalde is expected to officially preside over the Mercosur Permanent Committee and take office in Montevideo, administrative capital of Mercosur, next December 14, previous to the presidential summit.