MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan president to meet Bush in White House

Next May Uruguayan president Tabaré Vazquez will be visiting US president George Bush in the White House, was announced in Montevideo.

Increasing bilateral trade with the US plus credits for infrastructure figure in the agenda to be addressed by President Vazquez during his visit to United States, which also includes meetings with bankers and multilateral organizations seated in Washington.

Uruguayan minister of Industry and Energy Jorge Lepra back from Washington where he held trade talks with US negotiators said that the scheduled hour long interview with President Bush is the longest granted to any Latinamerican leader.

"Following the meeting we expect an announcement regarding agriculture quotas for Uruguay in the US market", said Mr. Lepra. Uruguay already has beef and dairy products quotas which it expects to increase spurred also by demand from US importers.

Mr Lepra also confirmed that next April 19 President Vazquez will be travelling to Asunción, Paraguay where he will meet with other South American leaders and sign an agreement for the building of a thermo-electric generating plant to be supplied with Bolivian natural gas.

"The agreement between presidents (Bolivian) Evo Morales and Vazquez will be signed in Asunción (Paraguay)" indicated Mr. Lepra.