Argentina

• Wednesday, December 12th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  IMF chief suggests Argentina pays Paris Club “in one shot”

  

  The International Monetary Fund hopes Argentina and the Paris Club will reach a repayment deal on 6.3 billion US dollars in defaulted debt without the IMF involvement, said the IMF managing director.

• Monday, December 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Cristina downplays conflict with Uruguay to “one difference”

  

  Incoming Argentina president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner promised that during her term “differences” with neighboring Uruguay “will not deepen” but insisted that Uruguay was to blame for the dispute over the construction of a pulp mill on the shores of a jointly managed river.

• Monday, December 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Kirchner couple slide into second mandate swapping jobs

  

  The first elected woman president of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, 54, was sworn in on Monday, receiving the sash of office from her husband, the outgoing head of state. Chants of “Viva Cristina” erupted when Kirchner swapped her position as first lady for that of president.

• Monday, December 10th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands' claim and multilateralism, CK's foreign policy punch

  

  ”We once again call on the occupying country which in international forums plays as advanced and respectful that here (in Argentina) we still have a colonial enclave”, was incoming President Cristina Kirchner's, CK, direct reference to the Falkland Islands in her inaugural speech before Congress on Monday.

• Sunday, December 9th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Buenos Aires invaded by over 5.000 cruise visitors

  

  Early Sunday, over 5.000 tourists from three large cruise vessels will be landing in Buenos Aires, one of the peak days of the 2007/08 cruise season.

• Saturday, December 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine beef exports reach 1.15 billion US dollars

  In spite of government restrictions to overseas sales Argentine beef exports expanded 9% in the ten first months of 2007 reaching 1.155 billion US dollars according to data from the country's Health and Agro Food national service, Senasa.

• Saturday, December 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine Navy to control 200 miles plus high seas fisheries

  Argentina authorized sea and air tracking of illegal fishing outside the country's Economic Exclusive Zone, in the 200 miles plus area of international waters and will eventually give notice to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of transgressors, according to the Buenos Aires press.

• Saturday, December 8th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Buenos Aires prepares for Kirchners ceremony on Monday

  

  Hours before the first elected woman president takes office in Argentina, the preparations for the ceremony are underway. The preparations in Buenos Aires Colón Square, where the outdoors ceremony is due to take place, were finished on Thursday and foreign heads of state are currently arriving in Buenos Aires city to participate in Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's inauguration.

• Friday, December 7th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina's Executive economic emergency powers on hold

  

  The Argentine Senate this week passed into law the 2008 budget and the Ministries bill, but delayed for next week's session the vote on the extension of the Economic Emergency bill and other tax bills.

• Thursday, December 6th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez expected in Buenos Aires and Mercosur summit

  Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez has confirmed he will be in Buenos Aires for next Monday's taking office ceremony of elected Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and a week later he will be back in the River Plate but in Montevideo for the Mercosur presidential summit.