Mercosur

• Friday, February 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Lavagna to meet Koheler in Miami on Monday

  Government deaf to G7 call for constructive talks on defaulted debt. “There will be no turning back” on 25 cents per dollar offer.

• Friday, February 6th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  U.S. donates state-of-the-art radars to Argentina

  Argentina's air force on Thursday received one of two state-of-the-art radars donated by the United States to help step up the nation's border security, the Defense Ministry reported.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean politics reshuffle

  Even when Chilean president Ricardo Lagos mandate extends until 2006, several potential candidates to succeed him are lining up, the last of which Minister of Interior Miguel Angel Insulza, better known in Chilean politics as the “panzer”.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Massive intoxication with molluscs in Chile

  The massive intoxication of 125 people with contaminated molluscs from Puerto Montt has forced Chilean sanitary and food authorities to impose strict traceability and origin certification of all sea food transport and retailing.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Rapprochement in FTAA meeting

  A decade after the United States launched the idea of creating a Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA, encompassing from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, the 34 nations of the region (except Cuba) are beginning to approach a consensus on the terms for the January 2005 deadline.

• Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina insists with 75% debt reduction

  Argentina insists with a 75% cut in its standing defaulted debt of approximately 88 billion US dollars.

• Wednesday, February 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  France will support Argentina in IMF vote

  French Foreign Affairs minister Dominique de Villepin currently visiting South America assured Argentine president Nestor Kirchner that France will support Argentina in the IMF Board meeting when the second review of fiscal targets next March, according to Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernández.

• Wednesday, February 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Strong Euro, but not too much?

  European Finance ministers will support a strong Euro policy, although contrary to an excessive appreciation of the common currency.

• Wednesday, February 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Future FTAA members try to iron differences

  Chile, Mexico, United States and ten other countries presented a new proposal with the issues to be discussed in the achievement of a common base for the Free Trade Association of the Americas, to which 34 countries of the three Americas are committed as of January 2005. The meeting of minister is being held this week in Puebla, Mexico.

• Wednesday, February 4th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian minister confirms orthodox economic policy

  Brazilian Finance minister Antonio Palocci rejected growing speculations about dissent in the government over current orthodox policies and discarded any possible resurgence of inflation.