Mercosur

• Friday, December 10th 2010 - 04:31 UTC

  Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation hostage of Argentine/Paraguay conflict

  

  Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo for the second time in a year withdrew the request from Congress for the approval of Venezuela’s incorporation as a full member of Mercosur. This leaves the issue for next year.

• Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 07:57 UTC

  Paraguay/Argentina Mercosur conflict: unions declare “five-day truce”

  

  The blockade of landlocked Paraguay’s maritime and fluvial trade which threatens Mercosur unity has been “granted” a five-day truce by the Argentine maritime workers union responsible for the industrial action.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 16:27 UTC

  Mercosur/EU trade negotiations on track for Brussels meeting in March

  

  Trade negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur are making progress and are on track for a possible trade agreement by mid-2011, following coincidences on several controversial points.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 05:10 UTC

  US and Israel criticize Mercosur members’ recognition of the state of Palestine

  

  United States disapproved of the recognition of a Palestine state from the part of several Latin American countries, saying that direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians are still “the only way” to reach peace in the Middle East.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 20:26 UTC

  Paraguay will not attend Mercosur summit if Argentina doesn’t lift fluvial blockade

  

  Landlocked Paraguay has called on Argentina to put an end to the blockade of Paraguayan maritime agencies which has virtually cut the country’s foreign trade. Paraguayan Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata also revealed that if the month-long issue is not solved in the next few days, “Paraguay will be absent from the coming Mercosur summit December 15”.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 08:06 UTC

  Mercosur and Syria scheduled to begin trade negotiations at next summit

  

  Mercosur and Syria are scheduled to sign an agreement to begin trade negotiations at the group’s next summit in Brazil, December 15, according to official sources in Damascus. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad earlier this year visited South America to promote trade and political links, particularly with Brazil that has a large Syrian community.

• Sunday, December 5th 2010 - 23:35 UTC

  Paraguayan leader calls Senate to vote Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur

  

  President Fernando Lugo called on the Paraguayan political establishment “not to identify Venezuela with President Hugo Chavez” and reiterated support from lawmakers to vote for the incorporation of Venezuela as a full member of Mercosur.

• Friday, December 3rd 2010 - 06:29 UTC

  Uruguay headed for a record year in exports; Brazil main trade partner

  

  Uruguay’s exports jumped 23.3% during the first eleven months of 2010, anticipating a new value record for the year. Exports totalled 6.1 billion US dollars between January-November compared to 4.95 billion in the same period a year earlier and are higher than the twelve month previous record of 6.1 billion in 2008, according to Uruguay’s Exporters’ Union.

• Thursday, December 2nd 2010 - 00:07 UTC

  Mercosur: Paraguay Senate has been convinced and will vote for Venezuela

  

  The Paraguayan Senate is expected to finally vote for the incorporation of Venezuela as Mercosur full member next week following intense political negotiations. Paraguay’s vote is decisive to complete the Venezuelan membership process since lawmakers of the other Mercosur countries Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil have already approved the incorporation.

• Tuesday, November 30th 2010 - 20:18 UTC

  Political deal in Paraguay to vote for Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur

  

  Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur as full member seems closer as the Paraguayan Senate readies to consider the issue following on political agreements worked out by President Fernando Lugo.