MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pulp mills dispute: pickets lift blockade

Picketers voted late Monday night go lift “for an indefinite period” the blockade of the route leading to the international bridge linking Argentina with Uruguay which had been closed to all traffic for almost two months.

Argentine residents and environmentalists have been blocking traffic between the two neighbouring countries to protest the construction on the Uruguayan coast of the shared and jointly managed river Uruguay of two pulp mills which they argue will contaminate the water and air in the region.

The months' long dispute has led to a serious conflict between both governments since Uruguay is determined to build the pulp mills which represent an impressive investment of 1.8 billion US dollars, while Argentina is demanding an environmental impact assessment elaborated by international experts.

However in spite of harsh words, and warnings and counter warnings, a common ground from where to work on was found: pickets will be lifted if construction is suspended until the assessment report is done.

The picketers' decision was approved in a tight vote after a long debate which boiled down to two basic options: suspend the pickets beginning Tuesday 14:00 hours, or suspend them once the pulp mills construction is also suspended. The non conditional option won but under protest from the loosing position that demanded a nominal count of voters in the open assembly.

It's not clear yet if the blockade lifting is extensive to all traffic, including Chilean trucks transporting equipment for the plants and which were forced to return during the height of the conflict.

In Montevideo earlier in the day Foreign Affairs Minister Reinaldo Gargano insisted Uruguay "will not be bullied" arguing that "as long as the pickets are active cutting traffic, there will be no negotiation" involving the Finnish and Spanish pull mills under construction.

Gargano emphasised that for the Uruguayan government the blockade must be completely lifted, "there's not such thing as partially lifted", adding that "access must be free for all vehicles; there can't be any form of discrimination".

The Uruguayan official also denied contacts with the two private companies, Botnia and Ence, suggesting they should suspend construction, "to give negotiations a chance"

Meantime Monday morning Greenpeace activists dressed in orange beacon suits jumped into the river Uruguay in front of where the pulp mills are under construction demanding the plants be removed to some other place and the chlorine processing system replaced by an environmental clean system.

The activists arrived Sunday night on board the Greenpeace "Arctic Sunrise" which sailed up the Uruguay river supported by several Zodiac rafts.