MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner mends fences with Peru's Alan Garcia

Peruvian president Alan Garcia has been officially invited to visit Argentina in the near future announced in Lima Foreign Affairs Secretary Jorge Taiana, a clear attempt from both sides to fasten the “cooperation links” of a long standing historical bilateral relation.

The decision follows a long month of behind the scene diplomatic contacts following what was seen as a clear signal of rebuff when Argentine president Nestor Kirchner did not show up at García's second taking office ceremony last July 28.

Presidents Garcia and Kirchner don't see the world and regional integration the same way: the Peruvian leader prefers an open economy, a free trade agreement with United States and was involved in a personal conflict with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez during the electoral process. Mr. Kirchner on the other hand apparently feels comfortable next to Chavez and his oil dollars and strongly sponsored him to become a full member of Mercosur.

During the Peruvian electoral campaign Chavez interfered strongly supporting the populist candidate Ollanta Humala, allegedly financed him, and Mr. Kirchner received the former Peruvian Army officer at Government House in Buenos Aires.

When Garcia finally won the run off, Argentina only sent a formal diplomatic congratulation message.

However the good offices of Mr Taiana have helped rebuild the traditional bilateral relation going back into South American history (the Lima/Buenos Aires axis has traditionally counterbalanced the Santiago/Brasilia axis).

President García acted accordingly and not only received Mr. Taiana in a private interview for 55 minutes (presidential treatment) but also instructed his ministers to sign several trade and defense agreements with Argentina plus a strong support for Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands.

"I'm leaving Peru with a very friendly and affectionate message for President Kirchner from President García", revealed Mr Taiana after his meeting at Government House in Lima.

President García as his predecessor Alejandro Toledo has distanced himself from the political/strategic alliance that Argentina and Brazil have with Venezuela's Chavez. Peru has always had a friendly attitude towards Argentina and Mr. Toledo in May 2003 flew to Buenos Aires to give his full support to the incoming Argentine president Nestor Kirchner.

"We've had a long conversation on different topics of interest for our countries and we agreed there's much to be done. We're opening the whole spectrum to find better leads and strategies", added Mr. Taiana.

"I don't think we're coming out of a cold spell, bilateral relations have always been magnificent", insisted Taiana who referring to Ollanta Humala's visit said that the candidates who visited Argentina "did so because of their own interest; we received all those who visited us".

Taiana also pointed out to the Falklands statement supporting "Argentina's legitimate sovereignty rights over the Malvinas Islands" and calling for "Argentina and Great Britain to resume negotiations for a peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute" as soon as possible.

During the 1982 South Atlantic conflict Peru was a strong diplomatic and defense ally of Argentina, proposing a mediation plan and providing the Galtieri regime with Exocet missiles and military spares.

Peru is Argentina's second trade partner in the Andean region behind Chile and Argentine companies have significant investments in industry and public works contracting.

Meanwhile a Lima magistrate indicted populist leader and loosing presidential candidate Ollanta Humala for alleged human rights violations committed when he commanded a counter insurgency base in the Peruvian jungle in 1992.

Humala will be tried for alleged "crimes against humanity: forced disappearance, homicide and serious injuries," said a release from the Peruvian court.

Judge Miluska Cano banned the former Peruvian presidential candidate from leaving the country. The crimes for which ex-Commander Humala is charged are forced disappearance, homicide of the couple Natividad Avila Rivera and Benigno Sullca Castro in June 1992, supposedly committed when he was commander of the anti-terrorist base in the town of Madre Mia.