Mercosur

• Monday, November 8th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Mercosur debates institutional reforms.

  The four Mercosur member countries are currently discussing reforms to the 1994 Ouro Preto Protocol, a milestone in the building of the block but which lately has been seen as an impediment for a closer knit organization and achievement of further expansion.

• Monday, November 8th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Breaking News form the area.

  Headlines:
  Five stars Sheraton for Ushuaia; Sky airline for competition and “reciprocity”; Unemployment in Magallanes, 8,5%.; Punta Arenas celebrates Chilean Antarctica Day; Argentina opens cinema in Antarctica.

• Monday, November 8th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina plays the Chinese card.

  Argentine Foreign Affairs Secretary Rafael Bielsa confirmed this Sunday significant Chinese investments in energy, railways and infrastructure, as well as South Korean financial support, the first credit since Argentina defaulted at the end of 2001.

• Sunday, November 7th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean international air traffic grows 6,7%

  During the first nine months international air traffic in Chile increased 6,7% totaling 2,7 million passengers compared to the same period a year before.

• Sunday, November 7th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Documentary on Nazi gold trail.

  A new documentary thick with tales of spies and secretive submarine landings traces how Nazis smuggled gold and cash from Europe to Argentina, a notorious safe haven for war criminals after World War Two.

• Saturday, November 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean Army accepts responsibility for human rights abuses.

  Chilean Army Commander in Chief General Juan Emilio Cheyre Friday accepted the military's responsibility for human rights abuses committed during the 1973-1990 dictatorship.

• Saturday, November 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  US dollar reaches new low against the Euro.

  The US dollar ended the week with a record low against the Euro (1,2910 to the Euro) with analysts forecasting further decline.

• Saturday, November 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  South American Community moves on.

  The Brazilian sponsored creation of a South American Community of Nations advanced a step further this week during the presidential summit of the Rio Group which convened heads of state and representatives from 19 nations.

• Saturday, November 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Rio Group not too enthusiastic about FTAA.

  The resumption of negotiations for the Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, as was anticipated this week by US Ambassador in Brazil John Danilovich did not receive an encouraging reply from the South American representatives meeting in Rio this week.

• Saturday, November 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Rio Group supports Malvinas claim.

  The Rio Group XVIII presidential summit which ended this Friday in Rio do Janerio included in its final declaration a chapter in support of Argentina's claim over the Falklands/Malvinas.