MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Paraguay accuses Argentina of ‘systematically ignoring” Mercosur
Energy Deputy Minister Mercedes Canese: no flexibility from Argentina The Paraguayan delegation before Mercosur Parliament, Parlasur, accused Argentina of “systematically and permanently ignoring the Asuncion Treaty” (the founding charter of Mercosur).
The claim signed by the president of the Paraguayan delegation, Alfonso González, mentions the “obstinate and irrational (Argentine) opposition to Paraguay’s attempt to export its remnant (scarcely competitive) power surplus to Uruguay”.
For the export to be viable landlocked Paraguay must use the Argentine grid and according to Paraguayan officials, Argentina wants to charge “an abusive passage toll”.
In effect when the going price “in the region the fee for using the neighbouring country’s grid averages 12 US dollars per MW/h, Argentina pretends to charge 48 dollars per MW/h” said Paraguayan Energy Deputy Minister Mercedes Canese
However Canese did admit that Argentine said it was willing “to make its position more flexible”, although so far there have been no signals.
Negotiations are now in the hands of both countries Foreign Affairs ministries.
For the Paraguayan lawmakers the “prohibitive fee” which Argentina is demanding only further “stalls bilateral negotiations at the whim of the enemies of a genuine integration”.
The head of the Paraguayan delegation in Parlasur also strongly criticized the “merciless ongoing protectionism” practiced by Argentina and Brazil
Finally the statement blasts “the increasing gravity of force actions promoted by the Argentine unions”. Apparently since last August 26 Argentine unions have paralyzed Paraguay’s international trade in Argentine ports, “causing irreparable damage to the country’s economy”.
At the end of last year Argentine docks and ports unions boycotted Paraguayan flagged vessels ‘violating international law, rules and agreements, causing Paraguay losses estimated in 300 million dollars.
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Read all commentsMight i suggest, that next time argentina demands back up in her suport again the falklands,
Sep 15th, 2011 - 12:54 pm 0Paraguay, tells them where to go, once again, time and time, argentina proves she only cares for argentina, she only wants you, when it suits her, and Paraguay, should be carefull that argentina does not take exeption , and perhaps claims you to,
wear you down, then take over, you are not the first south american country to complain abouth the way argentina treats you, abusing internatanail law, and your rights,, do the decent thing, kick them out,,
Argentina despises weakness and , in Paraguay's case, weakness caused by size and land-locked location. This enables Argentina to bully and blackmail Paraguay at will.
Sep 15th, 2011 - 02:01 pm 0Paraguay is doing the best for Unasur by keeping Venezuela out; Argentina is doing the worst for Unasur by each and every action and inaction she takes.
Three nations can and should freeze Argentina out of Unasur until it starts acting responsibly. Let it go, let it sink, and let it become owned and run by the Chinese. Paraguay and Uraguay should tie their flag to the flagpole of Brasil.
It really does not really deserve to be called a country because it acts beyond the norms of civilized society,
and it certainly does not deserve to be part of a coherent trading bloc.
@ 1 briton do you care about the paraguayans? really? lovely!
Sep 15th, 2011 - 02:37 pm 0Paraguay doesn't want to pay, then leave Mercosur, nobody will beg you to stay.
@ 2 Unless I misread, Paraguay is critizicing what Argentina and Brazil are doing. It's simple, Paraguay is a pig country, and should be ousted from Mercosur and Unasur. Paraguay wants the benefits without paying anything. GeoffWard2, you should go back to the United States of America with 42000000 of people living in misery, things are not that simple Mr.
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