Mercosur

Saturday, December 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Pulp mill conflict widens Mercosur rift

Escalating mutual recriminations and complaints between Argentina and Uruguay signaled the first day of deliberations at the Mercosur ministerial meeting in Brasilia in the same week that the group officially inaugurated its Parliament.
Saturday, December 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina and Brazil promote bilateral trade

Argentina and Brazil signed in Brasilia a protocol for a bilateral trade payments system in local currencies which gradually eliminates the US dollar helping to reduce goods and services transactions costs.
Friday, December 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Penguin News Update

Headlines: A close shave for cash; Status: to have and to hold?; De-mining study; Attorney General's shock resignation; This week's cruise visits; New Playground to open; Legislative Council meets today; Get ready for the Raft Race.
Friday, December 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Oil Price climbs after Opec agrees output cut

Oil gained more than a dollar on Thursday after Opec decided to cut its output by two per cent from February.
Friday, December 15th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
US/Venezuela address after-election “new reality”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro met U.S. ambassador William Brownfield, seeking to ease years of diplomatic tension as President Hugo Chavez prepares to begin a second, six-year term.
Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
“Fantastic” US/Argentina bilateral relations

United States Under Secretary for Latinamerica Tom Shannon described US/Argentina relations are “fantastic” during a seminar where two former Latinamerican Foreign Affairs ministers criticized President Nestor Kirchner for his “left wing populism”.
Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
EU leaders set to toughen membership conditions

European leaders will seek to reassure sceptical voters at a summit starting on Thursday by toughening policy on enlargement of the European Union, without though slamming the door on a queue of aspiring nations.
Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
IMF warns Latinamerica is lagging investment

The International Monetary Fund, IMF said that higher levels of investment in Latinamerica can only be reached if several obstacles are tackled: a significant cut in current debt level; lower government expenditure; expansion of the taxable base and greater credibility for monetary institutions.
Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Uruguay committed to Mercosur, but disputes persist

Uruguay's Foreign Affairs minister Reinaldo Gargano said Uruguayan farmers are interested in remaining in Mercosur in spite of the growing difficulties to solve the asymmetries between big and small country members and bilateral disputes.
Thursday, December 14th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Ban Ki-Moon sworn is as new UN Secretary General

South Korea's Ban Ki-Moon was sworn in on Thursday, before the 192-member General Assembly, as the next United Nations Secretary-General while outgoing Kofi Annan who held the job for ten years was given a prolonged tribute.