MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay proposes full integration or Mexico to Mercosur

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez said that Mexico must integrate with Mercosur and Unasur (Union of South American nations) because otherwise the concept of unity, which these two organizations represent would be “incomplete and insufficient”.

President Vazquez is currently on a three day official visit to Mexico, (one of Uruguay's most stable trade partners), where he signed a memorandum of understanding between both countries to begin negotiations for a Strategic Association Accord "Mexico has by own merits and international acknowledgement to play a leading role in the integration task of Latinamerica", added President Vazquez. "That is why we would like to see Mexico join Mercosur and Unasur. Withoug Mexico any of this two unities is simply incomplete, and because it is also in the interest of Mexico to integrate", remarked Vazquez. Mexico under different administrations has expressed an interest in joining the South American trade block, Mercosur made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus associate members Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and Venezuela in the process of full incorporation. All these countries plus Guyana and Suriname make up Unasur. The problems facing the region's integration process are well known said Vazquez, "and with exceptions are normal to such a complex process". Mexican host President Felipe Calderón thanked Vazquez for the invitation and stated that his country "is a promoter of an open integration and of the convergence of the different sub-regional processes". Calderon confirmed Mexico's interest in "strengthening links with Mercosur and with each of the country's which make up the block". Uruguay and Mexico have standing agreements of reciprocal protection for investments (2002) and of free trade (effective 2004) and are now intent in reaching the strategic association accord. Under this type of agreement, which Mexico only has with Argentina and Chile in South America are included specific understanding on trade, education, economic, political and social cooperation. Trade between both countries has soared 121% between 2000 and 2007 having passed from 191 to 423 million US dollars. President Calderon underlined the coincidences with Uruguay in such areas as strengthening the Rio Group and thanked President Vazquez for his country's support for Mexico's aspiration to become a non permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2009. Before arriving in Mexico, President Vazquez and his delegation which includes several ministers, bankers and businessmen visited Panama and Cuba, where he was granted an unexpected and rare three hours long meeting with the ailing leader Fidel Castro. Not much has been revealed about the "very friendly" encounter besides the fact that apparently Mr. Castro did most of the talking, "showing he was in full control of his faculties and most informed about world, Latinamerican and Uruguayan affairs". President Vazquez, an oncologist by training, said he found the Cuban leader "surprisingly in good condition" given the surgeries he underwent and in the "process of full recovery".