Mercosur

• Wednesday, January 21st 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina plans for the Security Council.

  Argentina assured this week the “unanimous support” from the Latinamerican and Caribbean group for its election as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2005.

• Wednesday, January 21st 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Euro zone calls for “responsibility” regarding US dollar

  Euro zone Finance and Economy ministers called on “responsibility” from the United States regarding the steady revaluation of the Euro vs the US dollar, fearing the risk of monetary volatility to incipient economic growth in the European Union.

• Wednesday, January 21st 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Strict new drinking law in Chile

  With the enforcement of the new Chilean Alcohol Bill, Punta Arenas opening hours for liquor stores and discotheques are considerably reduced and the under 18 are definitively banned from pubs.

• Tuesday, January 20th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay wants to end spat with Argentina over missing persons.

  The Uruguayan government wants to put an end to its “war of communiques” with Argentina - sparked by Argentina's demand for information on a long-missing citizen and the Uruguayan president's retort - an Uruguayan official said Monday.

• Tuesday, January 20th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Sao Paulo launches week of birthday events

  A rowing regatta, in which participants wore masks, goggles and plastic gloves to guard against pollution, began festivities Sunday leading up to the 450th birthday of Sao Paulo, the Western Hemisphere's biggest city.

• Tuesday, January 20th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine insists on direct flights to the Islands

  Argentina ratified its position banning non regular (charter) flights to the Falkland Islands, unless they are undertaken by an Argentine flagged airline. Talking to a local Buenos Aires broadcasting station, Eduardo Valdés Foreign Affairs Ministry Cabinet Chief insisted that “we believe this is fair and correct”.

• Monday, January 19th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Spanish King promises Antarctic conservation support.

  Spain's King Juan Carlos who last Saturday in Punta Arenas ended his official four days state visit to Chile said that visiting Spanish and Chilean scientific posts in Antarctica had reinforced his commitment to keep working for the conservation of the icebound continent.

• Monday, January 19th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  UK-Spain collaboration in Guatemala-Belize

  Bill Rammell, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs visited Guatemala and Belize between 13-17 January. Mr. Rammell attended the inauguration of the new Guatemalan President, Oscar Berger and later visited a UK-funded project in a community near the Adjacency Zone in Guatemala.

• Monday, January 19th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Latinamerica attracts more private investment

  Foreign investment in Latinamerica should grow a robust 47% during 2004 because of a better world business atmosphere and particularly the recovery of the Brazilian economy, according to a group of private financial institutions.

• Monday, January 19th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Closer ties between India and Mercosur

  Mercosur members and India have scheduled a meeting in late January when a tariff preference agreement will be signed, said Marco Aurelio García, Brazilian presidential advisor for international relations.