MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur to discuss regional integration challenges

A Mercosur seminar on “Challenges to regional integration” will take place Thursday in Montevideo with the participation of representatives from the now five full members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela, plus associate member Chile.

This is the first time Venezuela will be acting as full member, following last July 4th incorporation and marks an "appropriate opportunity to address converging political visions on the role of integration for the region", pointed out the Mercosur Committee of Permanent Representatives, organizer of the event.

"It is essential to improve the institutional framework of integration with greater content and in depth discussion on those issues where there's a strong community of ideas", reads the official presentation adding that "the purpose is to create a standing forum to debate integration with a long term vision".

Argentina will be represented by Senator Cristina Fernandez, (Mrs. Kirchner) and Chief Cabinet minister Alberto Fernandez; Brazil with President Lula da Silva's advisor Marco Aurelio and Luis Dulzi, Secretary General of the Executive.

Paraguay's delegation will be headed by the president of Mercosur's Controversies Tribunal Jose Antonio Moreno Rufinelli and ambassadors Antonio Felix Lopez and Luis Boettner, both trade and integration experts.

Former president Ricardo Lagos and Senators Carlos Ominami and Jaime Gamuri will represent Chile and Venezuela's delegation will be headed by Deputy Trade minister William Contreras and ambassador in Mercosur Maria Lourdes Urbaneja.

Uruguayan vice president Rodolfo Nin Novoa and Foreign Affaire minister Reinaldo Gargano will be the hosts.