MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

It's official, April 5 Argentina-Chile Friendship Day

Argentina and Chile's Foreign Affairs ministers Rafael Bielsa and Ignacio Walker officially confirmed April 5 as the “Argentine-Chilean Friendship Day” which has been added to both countries calendars.

The document establishing the event recalls the historic embrace of April 5, 1818, between Argentine liberator General Jose de San Martin, --who crossed the Andes with his Army--, and Chilean counterpart Bernardo O'Higgins following the battle of Maipú which definitively defeated the Spanish forces and ensured Chilean independence.

The date chosen also coincides with events twenty years ago that enabled the neighbouring countries to overcome century old border disputes that had pushed them to the edge of war.

"With this symbolic act we want to ratify the density and growing volume of Argentine-Chilean relations", said Mr. Bielsa during the ceremony at the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry, adding that "we're formalizing the declaration signed by presidents Kirchner and Lagos". "Having subscribed this document shows the ascendant course of our bilateral relation", added Mr. Walker.

The Chilean official underlined the existence of over thirty bilateral mechanisms, "including seven frontier committees and the tremendous dynamism in the exchange between neighbouring Chilean regions and Argentine provinces". "We have five joint committees covering areas such as drugs, health, environment and none less than six bilateral technical committees", he added.

Mr. Walker also pointed out to the fact that bilateral trade has reached over 4,6 billion US dollars and Chilean investments in Argentina 14 billion US dollars, "which is 40% of what Chile invests overseas".

The Chilean minister mentioned that both presidents are fully committed to the building of a South American natural gas network, "which will supply abundant energy and become a decisive integration factor for the southern continent".

Mr. Walker finally said Chile fully supports the coming Fourth Summit of the Americas to be hosted by Argentina next November and its summons motto, "creating jobs to fight poverty and strengthen democratic governance", which has become controversial for some of the other participants.