MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cool institutional relations of Uruguay with Mrs. Kirchner

Ptre. Vazquez: “low profile and tense relations” with Argentina government

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez was absent on Sunday from the signing ceremony of the Bank of the South and from the dinner hosted by the presidential Kirchner couple in Buenos Aires to visiting leaders

The pulp mill controversy and pending litigation looms strongly over bilateral relations. However Vazquez is scheduled to arrive by helicopter Monday afternoon on time for the taking office ceremony of elected Mrs. Kirchner and a couple of hours later will be flying back to Montevideo, which is a clear image of current relations, diplomatic and personal, between the two neighboring leaders. Political analysts on both sides of the River Plate agree that not much will change as of Monday with Cristina Kirchner president and Mr. Kirchner First Gentleman. Not until the International Court of The Hague rules on the litigation case which could be in 18 months time. Meantime relations will remain chilled, low profile and tense, although institutional formalities continue to be respected form both sides: Vazquez will have an official picture taken with the Kirchner couple and a week later president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will fly to Montevideo for the Mercosur summit, when Argentina takes over the six months chair of the group. "Nobody expects the incoming administration to change its attitude, but possibly the continuous speech banging and accusations might become quieter and sporadic", believe Uruguayan diplomats. "Vazquez brief visit to Buenos Aires and absence from Sunday's celebrations must not be seen as a provocation. On the contrary they are evidence that relations are not normal but fairly correct", he added pointing out that "if we were talking about relations of Uruguay with Hungary, the word correct could be considered accurate, but when we're talking of Uruguay and Argentina it means the relation is not good at all". Argentine diplomacy has the same feeling, "Kirchner is not interested in seeing Vazquez or Vazquez in seeing Kirchner, and since Cristina is also Kirchner, a brief visit makes sense". And once The Hague ruling is known it's anticipated that Cristina Kirchner will not fuel the fire. Both Argentine and Uruguayan diplomatic sources believe the next Argentine president will have a more sober attitude towards the issue, less speeches, less showing offâ€Ã‚¦" The moderation attitude of Mrs. Kirchner was confirmed when she stated that "we must wait for the ruling". That's going to be the path, respectful of institutional relations.