MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina and Brazil partners, but?

The coming summit of the South American Community scheduled for this Thursday/Friday in Brazil should help to clear certain shadows looming over the initiative which encompasses ten South American countries.

Argentina and Brazil the main sponsors of the initiative apparently have different views regarding the rhythm of the association. While Brazil is interested in a quick thrust forward, Argentina has adopted a more "cautious" attitude.

"The heart of the matter is speed, rather two different velocities with Brazil pushing hard for a fast association", said a spokesperson from the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry, adding that "Argentina does not want to create expectations which and later not be delivered".

This apparently was the core of the Buenos Aires discussions last week between Alfredo Chiaradía, International Economic Relations Secretary and Eduardo Sigal Deputy Secretary for South American Integration with Brazilian special envoy Eduardo Macedo Soares.

Apparently behind this "speed" issue is a greater difference and involves the United Nations reform project, and particularly the increase of permanent seats in the Security Council.

Argentina believes Brazil's push for the South American Community is to strengthen its leadership before the world and its ambition of having a permanent seat in the Council.

Buenos Aires on the other hand favours a new concept for the greater number of permanent seats in the Security Council following a proposal from Uruguay's last Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Opertti, who suggested the new seats have regional representation and not exclusive to a country.

This would mean that the Latinamerican seat in the Security Council and if the reform is approved, would be rotational and not exclusive of Brazil, Mexico or Argentina; an initiative that also has support in other regions such as the EU where Italy and Spain have questioned why only Germany should have a seat in the Council.

Besides Brazil is not entirely satisfied with its commercial relation with Argentina, which regularly complains about Brazilian dumping and under pricing appealing to quotas or transitory tariffs.

Apparently Brazil is exploring closer trade relations with Venezuela and Colombia, countries which offer a greater "complementation" and are more receptive especially for Brazilian industry.