MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mill chat runs out of meaning

The Uruguayan government believes there is nothing left to discuss personally between their president, Tabaré Vázquez, and his Argentine counterpart regarding the construction of two pulp plants in Uruguay.

The statement made by Gustavo Antúnez, a Uruguayan press official, came as the governor of Corrientes province, Arturo Colombi, avoided denying the possibility that a pulp mill may open in his own province.

Press reports on Thursday said that Colombi had been contacted by Swedish businessmen on behalf of a company interested in opening a plant in Corrientes. Colombi has given his support to President Néstor Kirchner and the government of Entre Ríos province in their fight against the construction of the two mills in Uruguay, one of which belongs to a Finnish firm. The mills will be across the River Uruguay from Entre Ríos.

"Our position is in harmony with President Kirchner's. We supported the project to regulate the environmental impact of mills. But we cannot be hypocrites and say we don't want industrial development for our country," said Colombi.

On Thursday, the governor of Entre Ríos, Jorge Busti, called Colombi a hypocrite for taking part in an event headed by Kirchner against the Uruguayan mills while holding talks to host one. Critics of the plants claim they will pollute the river.

Argentina has taken the matter to the World Court in The Hague. Hearings are scheduled for June 8 and 9.(BAH)