MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spain's turn to try and cool pull mills dispute

The Spanish Royal envoy sent to “facilitate” dialogue between Argentina and Uruguay on the escalating pulp mills dispute met Monday afternoon during forty minutes with Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez.

It was Ambassador Juan Antonio Yañez Barnuevo official beginning of the shuttle diplomacy between Montevideo and Buenos Aires that was anticipated from Madrid would extend for the rest of the week and continues Tuesday in the Argentine capital.

On his first trip to Montevideo a few weeks ago the Spanish ambassador was received by the third ranking official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, contrary to what happened in Buenos Aires where he met with several ministers and even exchanged a few words with President Nestor Kirchner.

The Spanish royal envoy arrives in the midst of the escalating dispute following Uruguay's decision to deploy the Army along the perimeter of the grounds where Finnish Botnia is building the giant 1.3 billion US dollars pulp mill that Argentina and environmentalists reject arguing pollution reasons.

For months now pickets have been impeding the normal flow of people and goods across to Uruguay in certain bridges.

Actually this Monday President Vazquez signed the order but the Minister of Interior was quick to add that it only involved a "few men from the Army" and the whole security operation remains under "normal" Police control for this kind of situations.

"It's better to be prepared than surprised", said Minister Jose Díaz who added that the port in Fray Bentos where the equipment for the mill is being unloaded continues under Coast Guard jurisdiction as happens with "all sea and fluvial ports in Uruguay".

The security reinforcement controversy was triggered following reports in Argentine and international press (The Washington Post) allegedly indicating that attacks could be planned by Argentine extremist groups to protest the building of the plant.

The Washington Post interviewed in Washington the husband of Argentina's Environmental Affairs Secretary who said "things were so serious and emotional" that a lady in her eighties has volunteered to blow herself up with the pulp mill's surging chimney.

Apparently the next step is to build a perimeter wall round the 500 hectares ground of the pulp mill.

Minister Diaz avoided giving any specifics about potential attacks but only mentioned that a seeding farm of eucalyptus belonging to Botnia, 150 miles north of where the pulp mill is located, was vandalized and some of the small trees ended being sold in the streets of Montevideo.

Vazquez's decree ordering the Army is supported on the "extraordinary increase of economic activity in the area" and the "mere size of the Botnia project", but with no further details.

During an official event early afternoon President Vazquez insisted Uruguay "and my administration has always been open to dialogue. However we will not sit to negotiate as long at the routes and bridges to Uruguay remain blocked" by pickets.

Argentina's Kirchner has stated from the beginning of the conflict that he will not remove pickets or "fall to the temptation" of repression against the free expression of other Argentines.

However in a radical attitude, the administration of President Kirchner that is facing a week long non supply protest from farmers who are complaining about price controls, warned that any road blocks or stopping of trucks with cattle by pickets will be arrested.

Minister of Interior Anibal Fernandez said "nobody is going to block nothing because we won't let them do it". "Under no circumstances will we allow trucks with cattle for market to be stopped because this is against food supply and access to food", he underlined.

"We sill be implacable with those who take advantage of the situation or try to impede the normal flow of cattle or cereals supplies", he added. "If we find anyone boycotting he'll be arrested", said Fernandez who said the Militarized Police has been sent to monitor and ensure the free flow of trucks and farm transport at crucial crossroads. "We're not going to repress, no blood or beating people up, but we can't allow a few to endanger the supply of food for the majority of the population".

Meantime ministers and high officials went on a media barrage to question the farmers' strike which was described as "politically motivated".

"This is not economic, this is political, a few wanting to harm a majority", said Finance minister Felisa Miceli.