MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lagos and Kirchner mend fences.

A double Argentine homage to Chilean Nobel Prize poet Pablo Neruda served last Tuesday as a good motive to patch up the recent months strained bilateral relation.

President Nestor Kirchner administration's unilateral decision to privilege in early winter domestic consumption severely restricting contracted natural gas supply to Chile, and the Chilean Ambassador's presence last June in an annual official celebration organized by the Falkland Islands government in London, among other incidents, had irritated and distanced the neighboring countries.

However Chilean president Ricardo Lagos brief visit to Buenos Aires Tuesday afternoon for the inauguration in Congress of an exhibition dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of poet Pablo Neruda followed by a poetry and music event where the strong cultural ties of the two countries were highlighted seems to have paved the way for a return to normality.

Furthermore later in the evening President Kirchner offered President Lagos a full red carpet reception in Casa Rosada and also paid tribute to Nobel Prize Neruda who was described as a symbol of unity between Chile and Argentina. The cultural event was held in Casa Rosada's most representative hall, Salón Blanco.

After holding private discussions President Lagos said bilateral relations were "very potent" and President Kirchner confirmed he would be going to Chile next November for an official visit "to confirm the good level of public and private infrastructure investment" between both countries.

"Sometimes when difficulties arise, there's a tendency to make of those difficulties the heart of our relations and you must be strong to say "No", as Chile did then. No, difficulties with certain deliveries which did not reach Chile could not become an obstacle to the common purpose. That is why I always reiterated that I wanted our Argentine friends to see Chile at that moment not as part of the problem, but rather as a central element for the solution", underlined President Lagos referring to the natural gas delivery dispute.

Mr. Lagos added he was most grateful and moved by the homage to poet Neruda underlining it was also "a homage to a long walking together (with Argentina), walking together based on shared values and ideals".

President Kirchner's November visit will coincide with the tenth anniversary of the signing of the peace and friendship treaty between Chile and Argentina.

Mr. Lagos delegation included Foreign Affairs minister Soledad Alvear and Culture Minister Jose Weinstein.