MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur junior members coordinate position for coming summit

Paraguay and Uruguay are committed to the consolidation of Mercosur, in spite of the ongoing trade differences among its members, said Uruguayan president Tabaré Vazquez.

During his one day visit to Paraguay for the Independence Day celebration this week, Vazquez said that “energy integration” was vital for Mercosur and so was the full membership of Venezuela.

Vazquez and his Paraguayan counterpart Fernando Lugo also agreed on the position to take for the coming Mercosur summit in early July when the rotating chair will pass from Paraguay to Uruguay.

Mercosur junior members have been questioning the attitude of senior partners Argentina and Brazil that have been implementing non tariff impediments to intra trade, particularly textiles and garments, and have been acting when it comes to decisions, as if it was a “two-member club”.

The Paraguayan Foreign Secretary Hector Lacognata is scheduled to travel to Buenos Aires next week precisely to address trade issues and hold talks on advancing another highly irritating issue: the free transit of people and goods which has been limited by the tariffs dispute and pickets blocking a bi-national bridge linking Argentina with Uruguay.

President Vazquez also reiterated Uruguay’s support to the incorporation of Venezuela as a full member of Mercosur arguing that President Hugo Chavez has repeatedly proven his solidarity with the countries of the region.

“When Venezuela abandoned the Andean group the Uruguayan government and Congress gave its fervent support to Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation. We also did it because Venezuela has shown solidarity with the rest of South American countries, with its oil credit program, with bonds and similar gestures”, added Vazquez.

“Venezuela is part of the socio-cultural and ethnic blend of Latinamerica and must be a full member of Mercosur”.

However the request still needs the approval of Paraguayan and Brazilian lawmakers who have objections to Venezuela and particularly to certain attitudes of President Hugo Chavez.

In Paraguay the ruling coalition does not have the necessary votes in the Senate to approve the protocol and in Brazil even allies of the government are reluctant to incorporate Venezuela because of the so called “democratic clause”.

Finally Vazquez reiterated the Uruguayan government support to the Paraguayan institutional process and to President Lugo, who has been facing growing political dissent but with an apparent de-stabilizing intention.

“Our position is unequivocal, we support all governments that freely and democratically have been elected by the people”, said Vazquez.

“The Uruguayan government supports the current democratic process of Paraguay, its government elected by the people and President Lugo knows he can count with Uruguay for support of the institutional process”, he emphasized.