MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Kirchner will not shake hands” with Walker

Argentine Foreign Relations Minister Rafael Bielsa stated in an interview that “it won't be possible to work” with his recently named Chilean counterpart Ignacio Walker, following a controversial article where he candidly describes the Peronist party and President Nestor Kirchner in not too kind words.

Interviewed by the magazine "Debates", Mr. Bielsa stressed that president Kirchner "will not shake hands" with Mr. Walker.

"We believe, obviously, that with a person who has expressed what he thinks, it won't be possible to work. This does not imply we're not going to make the necessary efforts to reestablish channels rapidly", added Mr. Bielsa. The Argentine minister was referring to an opinion column published last May 6 in El Mercurio when he was not Foreign Affairs minister, but which was highly critical of Peronism and Mr. Kirchner. The column only became public in Argentina following Mr. Walker's nomination and was actually published when both countries were involved in a bilateral dispute following Argentina's decision to restrict natural gas supplies to Chile.

In his column Mr. Walker remarks that the "true wall" between both countries is not the Andes but rather the legacy and "perverse logic" of Peronism, the ruling party in Argentina. Mr. Walker also recalls that Mr. Kirchner became president with only 22% of the popular vote and is obsessed with nurturing his only and real political asset, "his popularity".

But in spite of the reiterated apologies from Mr. Walker, Mr. Bielsa stated that "the first thing you must address to understand what's going on is put on the other fellow's shoes". "What would Chile have done if Mr. Bielsa wrote a column with a similar content when referring to the Christian Democrats, before been named Foreign Affairs minister? Mr. Kirchner is scheduled to visit Chile at the end of the next month but the event apparently now "remains in stand by".

Mr. Bielsa said he couldn't imagine president Kirchner shaking hands with Mr. Walker, "simply because it won't happen. There could be another alternative, Mr. Walker not present during President Kirchner's trip". However Mr. Bielsa made it clear that if the Chilean Foreign Affairs has to resign or not, it's something which does not involve Argentina, "and "we're not asking for it or even insinuating. This is strictly Chilean affairs" President Kirchner who was expected this Friday in Patagonia for the closing of joint Argentine-Chilean air force exercises in the border area, did not show up. Argentine Defence minister Jose Pampuro refused to talk about the controversy, "I have nothing to say", adding that "let's wait and see how events evolve".

From Italy Chilean Foreign Affairs minister Ignacio Walker after meeting the Pope insisted that with Argentina "we have many integration factors", and need to look to the future together.