Mercosur

• Tuesday, April 6th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean irritation with Argentina.

  The Chilean government reiterated this Monday its irritation with Argentina following Buenos Aires decision to reduce natural gas exports to Chile. “International agreements are based in good faith”, underlined Chilean Ministry of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza confirming Chile's dissatisfaction with Argentina's attitude.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Mexico celebrates 100 years of oil industry.

  Mexican government owned oil corporation Pemex is planning to drill its first deepwater well this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first well drilled in San Luis de Potosi making Mexico one of the world's leading producers.

• Monday, April 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  FTAA talks: agriculture differences persist.

  The “informal” talks held in Buenos Aires last week with the purpose of advancing negotiations for the creation of the Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, block late this month in Mexico failed when no agreement was reached on farm export subsidies.

• Monday, April 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine public debt jumped 25,8 billion US dollars.

  Argentina's public debt increased 25,841 billion US dollars during 2003 because of accrued interests to creditors and the appreciation of the peso, Euro and Yen vis-à-vis the US dollar, announced the Argentine Ministry of Economy.

• Monday, April 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “Maya V” crewmembers back in Punta Arenas.

  Most Chilean crewmembers of the Uruguayan flagged longliner “Maya V” apprehended by Australian authorities, arrived last Sunday in Punta Arenas to an emotive family reception, reports La Prensa Austral. No officials were present.

• Sunday, April 4th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  CAN and Mercosur agree tariff reduction.

  Early Sunday dawn and after eight exhausting years of negotiations, three of the five members of the Andean Community of Nations, CAN, signed in Buenos Aires a free trade agreement with Mercosur.

• Saturday, April 3rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Malvinas will be recovered with “dialogue and peace”

  “Malvinas will be Argentine through dialogue and peace”, said Argentine president Nestor Kirchner during the main commemoration of the 22nd anniversary of the Falkland Islands war that took place in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.

• Friday, April 2nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “Cautious optimism” about the region's future.

  “The storm is gone, recession is gone”, but the situation can't go further than a “cautious optimism”, warned Enrique Iglesias, president of the Interamerican Development Bank, IDB, during the closing ceremony of the bank's 45th annual assembly that was held this week in Lima, Peru.

• Friday, April 2nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Convicted “Maya V” crew leave Australia.

  Nearly all of the crew members arrested aboard the Uruguayan flagged longliner “Maya V” will leave Australia within 72 hours, a court was told today (April 1, 2002) in Perth, Western Australia.

• Thursday, April 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguayan economy forecasted to grow 9%

  The Uruguayan economy is poised to expand 9% in 2004 given the boom in exports and private investment announced Uruguayan Economy Minister Isaac Alfie during the annual assembly of the Interamerican Development Bank, IDB, in Lima.