MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina satisfied with “Mercosur' consolidation”

Argentina's cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez bluntly denied that the IV Americas Summit had turned into a “failure” for Argentina and expressed satisfaction because “Mercosur came out much consolidated” following the two days meeting of 34 leaders from the hemisphere including US President George Bush.

Mr. Fernandez underlined that Mr. Bush promised Argentina "the usual support" during his almost hour long interview with President Nestor Kirchner and insisted that the request for more rule of the law certainty in commerce and investment "was not meant for Argentina specifically", but rather for the whole region.

Apparently Mr. Bush told Mr. Kirchner that the US was launching an "investments program" and suggested the region show greater respect for contracts and keeping stable long term rules of the game, but "this was not as a claim on Argentina, because he actually praised Argentina for the great improvement achieved in that and other related fields".

As to the alleged incident with between President Kirchner and President Fox from Mexico who called on Argentina the host country, to act as a "compromiser" in searching for a final declaration consensus, Mr. Fernandez said "a meeting of both leaders was never in the agenda", and "I honestly ignore if Mexico wished to have a meeting with Argentina".

Actually President Fox was quoted saying that "FTAA can live without Mercosur".

Mr. Fernandez pointed out as one of the main achievements of the summit the "strong consolidation of Mercosur" underlining the fact that Mercosur member countries and president Hugo Chavez have adopted "an active and joint role", to show the world the differences "between the proposed integration processes".

"Mercosur is not just another economic space for the integration of South America with the rest of the Americas because we represent 75% of South America's GDP, and that unity for us is a very important fact of reality", highlighted the Argentine official.

As to the controversy over the final document from the Summit which specifically showed the conflicting opinions, Mr. Fernandez said it was "not a failure".

"It's the first time that Mercosur comes out with an absolutely unified position before the community of the Americas nations, which is very important" remarked Mr. Fernandez who further argued that "it's impossible to think of joining FTAA with the current level of asymmetries".

However he admitted not being surprised by the Central American countries strong lobbying for FTAA, given the "significant influence of the US economy in that region".

"I think it's the correct attitude because each country has the right to fight for the integration model which it most aspires", adding that US trade barriers "would cause an enormous distortion affecting the whole of Argentina" if FTAA integration was done on current terms.

Finally he emphasized that "Argentines should feel satisfied" with the outcome of the summit since Argentina recovered the "autonomy it had lost".