Bolivia will begin the coming year formal talks for full membership of Mercosur, for which it has the support from Uruguay, said diplomatic sources from both countries, Bolivian Deputy Foreign minister Juan Carlos Alurralde met with his Uruguayan counterpart Roberto Conde in the framework of the “Bolivia-Uruguay coordination and consultation mechanism” sixth meeting in La Paz. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesFirst Venezuela,
Sep 08th, 2012 - 11:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0then Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador,
then the rest of South America,
then Central America,
then the Caribbean ...
Once Merosur becomes the same as Unasur,
and then becomes the same as the OAS (minus the big boys),
then trade blocs become the same as economic blocs become the same as political blocs ...
become totally unable to operate coherently politically, economically or trade-wise. The only coherence will be hot air and exhortations and, because the bloc rules just can't work, the whole region becomes black economy, black trade and black politics.
But this is The Americas (minus the big boys),
and hot air and exhortations is the stock in trade of the 'coherent Left'.
Simon Bolivar, the darling of the Left (strange, because he has more in common with the fascist SA Right) would be intrigued to see the all-embracing chaos across this part of the world that his 'philosophy' is leading to under the influence of Hugo Chavez and his acolytes.
@1
Sep 08th, 2012 - 12:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Excellent post, especially about the malignant effect of Venezuela.
Noo....
Sep 08th, 2012 - 02:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0dont take it seriously as a economic/trade bloc.
just ahead of a kind of Regional Energy Bloc which is very normal to defend themself in the form of semi cartelization.
Wow....Mercosur falling down rhe hill......!!!
Sep 08th, 2012 - 05:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Hope our country never will ask for full membership....Chile don't need them to be a developing country....Better alone that with bad company...you know..!!!!
Sergio
Sep 08th, 2012 - 05:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Pope loves which country more !....Chile ?...Argentina ?
abruptly i remembered that
in 1984 Chile and Argentina settled their long standing dispute over three island in the Beagle Channel off the southern tip of the Terra del Fuego,this dispute that had brought these two countries to the brink of war....a Papal mediation ruled for Chile and Argentina accepted the decision......
Please support this page - Falkland Islands Desire The Right - dedicated to Falkland Islands current affairs, keeping the islands free and poking fun at the lunacy of the Argentine government and their various claims and winding up their Internet trolls - https://www.facebook.com/Britain1592
Sep 08th, 2012 - 06:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@5
Sep 08th, 2012 - 06:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0And just why would any country use the offices of El Diablo?
Consistently denied the systematic buggering of choir and alter boys by his illusterous clergy. At least they were not wankers, they were ten times worse.
Club of Losers almost complete!
Sep 08th, 2012 - 06:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Only Nicaragua and Cuba missing...
http://www.economist.com/node/21558609
Sep 08th, 2012 - 10:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0RIP MERCOSUR
Wasn't this the same way the EU started, with economic (the original name was the European Coal and Steal Community wasn't it, snappy!) and political blocs converging as more members joined each? So I don't see why the same thing that strengthened European unity should weaken unity between the progressive countrues of South America...
Sep 09th, 2012 - 06:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0Well, I am happy to see Uruguay having its chance as bridge and pro tempore president of mercosur, a good trade deal for Bolivia that is equitative as well as an acces to ports, tourism and development of their resources are good news for them, Uruguay and Mercosur :)
Sep 09th, 2012 - 08:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0I guess if any country tries to stop this serial expansion across the Americas, there will be a 'temporary removal' of that country from the club, pending the arrival of a suitably Left-wing regime willing to play to the club-rules.
Sep 09th, 2012 - 09:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0Indeed that can be a problem, that is why I find Uruguay chosen place in mercosur as a bridge, an interesting and neccesary situation, given its role after Venezuela inclusion in mercosur has been that of a country making relations easier beetween neighbors, and even its searching to make an understanding between the Pacific Alliance and Mercosur so Latam doens´t gets parted in two, both blocs have much more to gain from a good relationship than a bad one.
Sep 09th, 2012 - 02:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The exclusion of Paraguay from mercosur is more hurting for the Bloc in the long run than for the country itself IMO, as Mujica said, Mercosur needs to be more flexible, and maybe get a more clear way of intereacting with countries in and out of mercosur if it wishes to grow as an economic bloc. Not doing that will only result in countries from the region symply seeking help or support from other places and blocs such as Unasur, Alba, Pacific Alliance, OAS, etc. Ideally, Unasur would have been a better place to discuss Paraguay situation than Mercosur.
Unasur would have been a better place to discuss Paraguay situation than Mercosur. #13
Sep 09th, 2012 - 04:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is only one supra-national organisation designed for this local matter:
It should have been discussed within Parlasur, the supernational legislature (policy and political organisation) of the Mercosur nations.
Mercosur - a 'customs organisation' - was entirely inappropriate;
and so was Unasur, because it contains many nations with no legal interest in the region.
Another lurch to the left for a murcosur which is increasingly politically orientated, and less and less trade focused.
Sep 09th, 2012 - 05:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Unlikely the EU will be signing any trade deals with murcosur any time soon.
It will be interesting to see how it competes for space with the many other regional organisations, however how things develop with the Pacific alliance will be the big question.
As for the gas pipeline, Argentina may be interested in buying gas.
Good to see a unified South America coming together...a future mayor player in world affairs.
Sep 09th, 2012 - 07:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Mercosur is the next up and comer.....I mean they signed two freaking deals already!!! golly......and one was with the Palestinian Authority..........the clout they carry now!!
Sep 09th, 2012 - 10:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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