Mercosur

• Wednesday, October 2nd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  “Protest” vote growing

  With just six months to the presidential election, the Argentine electorate is sending ever more clear signals of its rejection of the political system.

• Tuesday, October 1st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile in Security Council

  Chile was chosen last week to the United Nations Security Council as non permanent member and will take over from Colombia next January. Chile will hold the post for two years.

• Tuesday, October 1st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean unemployment almost unchanged

  Unemployment in Chile during the June-August quarter dropped slightly (0,1%) to 9,6% compared to a year ago, but actually increased 0,2% over the previous quarter.

• Tuesday, October 1st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Most expensive country of the region

  Following currency devaluations and recession in Mercosur member countries, Chile has become the most expensive country in US dollars of the region. This means that countries once considered expensive have now become a “bargain”.

• Tuesday, October 1st 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Military crisis brewing

  Chilean president Ricardo Lagos is in an uncomfortable situation following the disclosure that the Air Force Commander, General Patricio Ríos, allegedly had knowledge of the resurgence of a “Joint Command” extremist group, closely linked to the force and involving the wife of another Air Force general, but did not report it.

• Monday, September 30th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Italian support for Argentina

  The Italian Parliament unanimously approved an all party resolution in support of Argentina promising to promote specific initiatives in the European Union and internationally.

• Monday, September 30th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  “Unprecedented crisis”

  Argentine is suffering an unprecedented crisis and will end 2002 with a 16% drop in the country's Gross Domestic Product, GDP, according to the IMF report “World Economic Prospects” released during this year's annual assembly in Washington.

• Monday, September 30th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  48 million Euros for Mercosur

  The European Commission will invest 48 million Euros to strengthen Mercosur in the framework of a program targeted to help build the home market, reinvigorate democratic institutions and the participation of the civil society.

• Monday, September 30th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  G 7 forecasts growth improvement

  The Group of Seven, G7, of industrialized nations said in Washington it was committed to accelerate global economic growth in the coming months, in spite of some lingering risks.

• Monday, September 30th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur, Lula's priority

  Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's almost certain next president wrote in a column in an Argentine newspaper that Mercosur will be his administration's foreign policy priority if he's elected next October 6th.