MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mrs. Kirchner promises there will never be barriers to Brazilian imports

A meeting “more than good”, according to the Argentine president

Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner assured that “there weren't, nor ever will be, barriers blocking Brazilian imports,” after holding a meeting in Rio de Janeiro with her Brazilian counterpart Lula da Silva, a gathering she classified as “more than good.”

The meeting was carried out in the midst of trade disputes due to the halt in imports denounced by Argentine businessmen, but never explicitly called for by the government.

Importers claim that Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno was responsible for the trade barriers. Moreno is known for his bullying tactics and phone threats. He rarely stamps a signature on the kind of claims denounced by Argentine importers.

After the bilateral meeting with Lula da Silva, President Cristina Kirchner classified the encounter as “more than good” and said it served to “deepen trade between both countries.”

After the 40 minutes during which the president's met, Mrs. Kirchner said she left “very satisfied.”

The meeting took place in the Museum of Modern Art, where the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum was held earlier, in Rio de Janeiro, in which Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Taiana and his counterpart, Celso Amorim, also participated.

In Buenos Aires Deputy Foreign Secretary Vitorio Taccetti said that the alleged trade dispute was “a feeling, there were some controls but it’s all over now”. He added there are “no trucks delayed at the border with Brazil. Our relation with Brazil is beyond rumours and anecdotes”.

However “this does not mean that we have problems. We discuss and will continue to discuss the close relation we have with Brazil. Last year in the second half we had moments of tension because we needed to defend our foreign equilibrium in the midst of the crisis but it was managed following many, many meetings” explained Taccetti.

The Argentine official said that what prevails is the spirit and climate of dialogue “both at business and government levels”.

He added that Brazil and Argentina are “jointly looking at the world. From trade integration at Mercosur level today we have production integration”.