Mercosur

• 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.

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

  Economy Nobel Prise Stiglitz blasts US 2005 budget

  Economy Nobel Prize Joseph Stiglitz strongly criticized the President Bush administration budget project for 2005 sent to Congress last Monday describing it as “unrealistic”, “unproductive” and “dangerous”.

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

  Ecuador removes envoy under fire

  At Argentina's request Ecuador yesterday removed its ambassador Germánico Molina after he last month allegedly helped Guillermo Suárez Mason, a member of the past military dictatorship, to violate the house arrest he was serving for baby snatching.

• Tuesday, February 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Australia investigating “Maya V” catch

  A Uruguayan-registered longliner caught allegedly fishing illegally in Australia's Antarctic waters last week was escorted into harbour at Fremantle, Western Australia on Sunday 1 February by Customs officials and the Australian Navy.

• Tuesday, February 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay questions Australian EEZ in remote islands.

  Uruguayan Fisheries Director Captain Yamandu Flangini questioned the Australian claim to an Exclusive Economic Zone in the remote islands of Heard and McDonald and revealed that currently there are only four Uruguayan flagged vessels licenced to operate in international waters.

• Tuesday, February 3rd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Mesa orders spending cuts for Bolivia

  Carlos Mesa, Bolivia's president, has imposed severe public spending cuts and new taxes on the country's middle class and private sector, in an effort to avert a repeat of the social explosion that rocked the country last October.

• Monday, February 2nd 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Lan Chile fined for breach of fares plan

  Lan Chile was finally fined the equivalent of 52,000 US dollars (30 million Chilean Pesos) for breach of the self regulating plan for domestic flights fares which became effective in 1995 when the company absorbed Ladeco, the second largest Chilean air carrier.