MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Distension minuet for Vazquez and Cristina in Montevideo

“I want to let you know that this is your house” said Pte. Vazquez

Contrary to what happened a week ago in the Argentine Congress, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Uruguay's leader Tabare Vazquez made no reference to the pulp mill conflict and exchanged praise and polite gestures during the 34th Mercosur presidential summit held Tuesday in Montevideo.

"It's for me a pleasure to transfer the pro tempore Mercosur chair to the sister republic of Argentina in the person of her president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner", said Tabaré Vazquez. The Uruguayan leader underlined the "traditions and projects" shared by both countries and insisted he was delighted to transfer the chair in Uruguay, "because of all that unites our peoples". In his brief speech Vazquez also had time to congratulate Mrs. Kirchner on two opportunities for having become the first elected president of Argentina. "I'm certain you will perform the presidency with conviction, dedication, responsibility and passion". And during the actual ceremony, Vazquez said: "We have no baton here it's simply a modest hammer" in direct reference to her taking office as Argentine president. "I want to let you know that this is your house. We're enormously pleased to have you visit us" added Vazquez. "I feel at home, because Uruguay is my home as the Republic of Argentina is home for thousands of Uruguayans that have been living with us since long time", replied Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner who thanked the Uruguayan president and the Uruguayan people for the love and affection received during her brief visit to Montevideo. In his summit opening speech Vazquez made no direct references to the Botnia pulp mill at the heart of the dispute with Argentina, although he did mention the existing problems regarding the free circulation of people and goods, among other demands. Bue there was no specific word related to the pickets that have for over two years blocked access to bridges leading to Uruguay in protest over the construction of the Botnia plant, allegedly for environmental hazards. President Cristina Kirchner also avoided all mention of the pulp mill but rather concentrated all the heavy ammunition on the cash full suitcase which involves Argentine and Venezuelan officials, but is before a Miami court, since the man who tried to smuggle the 800.000 US dollars into Argentina fled to the US taking advantage of his dual nationality: Venezuelan and US. Another positive side of the bilateral relation underlined during the summit was the project to build a re-gasification plant close to the port of Montevideo, with the purpose of supplying Uruguay but also metropolitan Buenos Aires. The agreement was signed last November between Argentina's Planning Minister Julio De Vido and Uruguay's Energy Minister Jorge Lepra. The plant is scheduled to convert imported liquid gas into natural gas and pumped to Buenos Aires through a pipeline originally built to function in the opposite direction, when Argentina allegedly had abundant reserves of gas.