MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Duhalde underlines Mercosur 14 years of achievements

Eduardo Duhalde president of the Mercosur Permanent Representatives Committee praised this Monday in the achievements of Mercosur on its 14th anniversary.

However the former Argentine president called on country members to agree on a "joint industrial policy" which helps solve "clashes between productive interests" and highlighted the "significant advances" which the four permanent members of the South American block have attained.

The block, an idea first speared by Argentina and Brazil to end regional rivalry, finally also included as full members Paraguay and Uruguay, and was officially launched in Asuncion, Paraguay in 1991.

"Every now and then some member countries face mini-crisis generated in the clash of productive interests. We must understand that these problems will not be solved unless we address them in the strengthened framework of common interests", underlined Mr. Duhalde.

Following on the words of a well known Brazilian thinker Helio Jaguaribe, Mr. Duhalde said that Mercosur is demanding "a joint industrial policy because the opportunities and perils we must not look for them inside the block, but rather in a more accessible world but also highly competitive and implacable".

Mr. Duhalde further on emphasized the need to speed "energy, financial, physical, cultural and communications integration", since they are essential for the "harmonic development of our countries".

The former Argentine president mentioned other areas where the four permanent members of Mercosur have achieved "significant advances".

He underlined "trade inside the block, which has not ceased to expand", and an end to the "old conflict hypothesis among members, which have disappeared".

Finally Mr. Duhalde as president of the Permanent Representatives Committee called on country members to celebrate "the new hope we engineered for our peoples fourteen years ago".