MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pulp mills dispute: 6 to 8 weeks before a ruling

Argentina believes it will take six to eight weeks before the “no innovation” clause in the pulp mills dispute with Uruguay currently before the International Court of The Hague, is accepted or rejected.

Two foreign companies, Botnia from Finland and Ence from Spain are in the process of building two pulp mills on the Uruguayan side of a river shared and jointly managed, which Argentina claims they will pollute air and water.

Furthermore, according to a treaty going back to 1975 all issues regarding the water of the river Uruguay must be consulted and agreed by both countries. Argentina alleges Uruguay has not complied with the treaty and has thus taken the case to The Hague.

"We don't know how long before there's a win or loose ruling regarding the no innovation demand, but we estimate six to eight weeks", said Estrada Oyuela head of the Environmental Affairs Department of the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry.

Estrada Oyuela will be part of a delegation of 17 diplomats and solicitors that next June 8 and 9 will be presenting their case accusing Uruguay of violating the River Uruguay Statute which regulates the fluvial course between both countries.

Basically Argentina will be pressing for a 90 days construction suspension period forcing mainly Botnia, (Ence originally agreed to the 90 days proposal) to halt the construction of the pulp mill in Fray Bentos.

During the 90 days period a complete environmental assessment should be undertaken.

"That is why we're such a big team. The continued work in Botnia means the consolidation of a situation which causes sensitive damage to natural resources, above all to the ecology of the region", he insisted.

"The clue of the issue is that any pulp industry needs a developed environmental management system plus damage control and contingency resources", said Estrada Oyuela.