Argentina underlined late Monday that the decision on the incorporation of Venezuela as full member of Mercosur was “unanimously” supported by the presidents from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay during the group’s summit last Friday hosted by President Cristina Fernandez.
Argentina’s position coincides with that from Brazil following the surprise statements from Uruguay’s Foreign minister Luis Almagro who said the incorporation of Venezuela is “not definitive” and will undergo a juridical review by his team of international law experts.
According to a release from the Argentine Foreign ministry, last Friday following a meeting of Cristina Fernandez, Dilma Rousseff and Jose Mujica, after they had listened to the positions of their Foreign ministers and the legal advisors from Brazil and Argentina, the presidents decided on the incorporation of Venezuela in a closed meeting.
“The analysis from the legal advisors attending the meeting was also unanimous in that the entrance of Venezuela strictly complies with Mercosur treaties and national legislation from the member countries” added the release.
Further more the resolution approving the incorporation “was a consensus among the three Foreign ministers and the legal advisors and approved by the presidents”.
The Venezuelan incorporation ceremony is scheduled for next July 31 in Rio do Janeiro with the attendance of the presidents from Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela.
The ceremony takes place in Brazil because the country currently holds the rotating chair of Mercosur for the next six months.
During a morning radio interview in Montevideo Almagro said that “if everybody was so sure about it, Venezuela would have been fully incorporated last Friday in Mendoza (Argentina). For some reason the countries have decided to take their time until July 31”.
Last week before leaving for Mendoza, Almagro met with members of Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs committees and the opposition, and pledged that there would be no sanctions on Paraguay and the summit would not force the incorporation of Venezuela.
The access of Venezuela as a full member of Mercosur had been requested in 2006 and remained frozen because the Paraguayan Senate refused to take a vote on the ratification of the protocol.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesNext one to bully out... Uruguay. Far too decent nation to be member of the thugs club Mercosur.
Jul 03rd, 2012 - 09:24 am 0Mercosur will be:
Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador... and maybe Brazil.
But I guess, last ones will also leave the sinking ship. Brazil is not dependent on such a minor club anymore, like it used to be 10 to 15 years ago. Brazil will conquer markets worldwide and will surely join open mentality of the Pacific states of South America.
”(Uruguay's Foreign Minister) Almagro, ... Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs committees and the opposition pledged that .... the summit would not force the incorporation of Venezuela.
Jul 03rd, 2012 - 09:34 am 0This is like saying We will not force the winner of the EuroMillions jackpot to take the money.
Perhaps they anticipate Chavez saying Thank you for the kind offer, but 'No'”.
What *summit* is Almagro talking about? - There isn't one scheduled to ratify this before the end of July.
Perhaps he means the Mendoza summit gone, where all the interested parties and individuals - except, of course, banned Paraguay - agreed immediate (July) incorporation of VE.
Or perhaps Almagro thinks that the Senates of AR, BR, and UR might over-rule their Foreign Ministers and Presidents.
Some chance! That would smack of a 'Paraguayan-slap-down'.
No, whatever the qualms of Uruguayans, this is a done deal.
The 'Mercozone' (for what its worth) now extends from the Roaring Forties to the Caribbean.
Definitely Uruguay was force by Argentina and Brazil. Uruguayain opposion is calling Almagro when they are talking about interpelacion o expulsion. The opposion knows Argentina is trying to involve Merconsur in the Malvinas conflict.
Jul 03rd, 2012 - 11:12 am 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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