MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Congress involved in pulp mills dispute

By authorizing the construction of pulp mills and supporting industries, “Uruguay violated the 1975 bilateral treaty with Argentina” which was specifically geared to ensure the water quality from the river Uruguay both countries share and acts as a natural frontier.

Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Taiana, summoned to Congress to explain the pulp mills dispute between the neighbouring countries, argued that Uruguay was to blame for the current situation for having authorized the construction of the two pulp mills in Fray Bentos, across from the town of Gualeguaychú whose residents have been protesting for weeks the alleged environmental consequences of such an undertaking.

Both houses of Congress, on request from President Nestor Kirchner are considering the Executive decree with the complaint against Uruguay that Argentina is planning to present before the International Court of the Hague.

Mr. Taiana further accused Uruguay of having violated the 1975 treaty on three opportunities, but even more serious, "Uruguay breached the trust deposited in a dialogue and cooperation alternative" to the dispute.

When Uruguay authorized the first pulp mill (belonging to Spanish company ENCE) "this was the first violation of the bilateral river Uruguay treaty". "The construction of the mills which advances day after day, on the other side of the river, is tangible evidence of our frustration", insisted Mr. Taiana.

Argentina is demanding work in the plants cease for a period of 90 days while negotiations get started. Uruguay on the other hand demands an end to pickets, next to Gualeguaychú which for the last twelve days have been blocking access round the clock to the bridge across the river Uruguay thus interrupting all traffic.

Taiana also underlined that it was "paradoxically regrettable" that the geographic controversy should be referred to the river Uruguay which has one of the most complete legal rulings in the world to ensure environment protection and sustainable development.

Argentina has been forced to appeal to international tribunals because "we have been repeatedly frustrated in our efforts to have Uruguay comply with the river Uruguay treaty" to protect shared waters.

The ongoing bilateral dispute and particularly the protests of Gualeguaychú residents and environmentalist groups such as Greenpeace have attracted the attention of the international press, this time The New York Times in an article by Larry Rohter. (see following article).

Meantime in Montevideo the Argentine Ambassador was handed on Tuesday a letter from Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez to his Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner requesting an end to traffic blockades.

Ambassador Hernan Patiño Meyer was summoned to the Uruguayan Foreign Office where he was personally handed the letter.

This is not the first letter addressed to Argentine authorities, but it's the first signed by president Vazquez and as in the previous ones Uruguay requests the "liberation" of route 136 which links Gualeguaychú in Argentina with Fray Bentos, Uruguay where the two pulp mills, Spanish and Finnish, involving a 1.8 billion US dollars investment, are under construction.

Although the contents of the letter were not revealed apparently Uruguay informs Argentina it's seriously considering taking the case to a regional court claiming a breach to the free movement of goods, services and people in the framework of Mercosur.

However the governor of the province of Entre Rios, Jorge Busti warned that if that's Uruguay's strategy, "Gualeguaychú has seen tourism investments frozen for over a year since the construction of the pulp mills began (and the risks of contamination), so we will demand the Uruguayan government; but if they favour a diplomatic solution, that means undertaking a serious environmental impact assessment, we could be on the right track".

Governor Busti added that Gualeguaychú residents, organized in a standing assembly, are expecting "a gesture" from Uruguay, a truce in the construction of the pulp mills which will give time for an environment assessment.

"But if this does not happen unfortunately we will have to take the case to The Hague to find a way out to the situation", highlighted Mr. Busti.