Mercosur

• Wednesday, May 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile and Uruguay lead in business' openness and access

  Chile and Uruguay figure as the leading Latinamerican countries where it's much easier to interact and exchange among people, businesses and nations, according to a report from a private US corporation released this week.

• Wednesday, May 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  ENAP looks for oil and gas in Magallanes

  ENAP, Chilean government owned petroleum company will be investing 2.5 million US dollars in exploring for oil and gas in two different areas, 60 and 120 miles to the northeast of Punta Arenas.

• Wednesday, May 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FAO initiative to improve fisheries monitoring

  FAO unveiled an ambitious new collaborative initiative for improving reporting on the status of world fish stocks at a UN meeting on international fisheries policy being held in Rome this week.

• Wednesday, May 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay, Argentina, Australia, NZ, BSE-free

  Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina were officially recognized by the World Animal Heath Organization, OIE, as the only four countries in the World free of Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis, BSA, more commonly known as “mad cow”.

• Wednesday, May 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chirac ready for “a trade deal” arrives in Brazil

  French president Jacques Chirac who Thursday begins a two days visit to Brazil called on “both sides” to overcome the current disagreements on farm tariffs and subsidies that have pitted Mercosur against the European Union in international trade talks.

• Tuesday, May 23rd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  UN call to curtail high seas overfishing

  Government representatives attending a conference in New York aimed at improving measures to preserve ocean fish stocks called on Monday for more States to ratify a United Nations agreement aimed at reversing the dramatic declines seen in recent years.

• Tuesday, May 23rd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush and Chavez exchange “compliments”

  United States is “concerned about the erosion of democracy” in Venezuela and Bolivia said Monday US president George Bush following a restaurant industry question-reply convention in Chicago.

• Tuesday, May 23rd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Inflation scare depress world markets

  Major Latinamerican stock markets plunged Monday following remarks in Vienna from International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo Rato who anticipated the Federal Reserve may need to continue raising interest rates depending upon how economic conditions evolve in the United States

• Tuesday, May 23rd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  French president begins visit to Brazil and Chile

  French president Jacques Chirac begins this week a four days state visit to Brazil and Chile to tighten political links with countries committed to “multilateralism” and international solidarity as well as to strengthen trade.

• Monday, May 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  “Friendly” Ecuador on collision course with US

  Ecuador is a “friendly” country but will defend its interests warned Ecuadorian president Alfredo Palacio in a live national broadcast in direct reference to dispute with U.S. Occidental Petroleum which is also threatening a free trade agreement with United States.