Mercosur

• Wednesday, April 24th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  British banks Argentine watch

  British newspapers are carrying increasingly concerned reports of Argentina's worsening economic crisis.

• Tuesday, April 23rd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Armed Forces support democracy

  Argentine Army Commander in Chief General Ricardo Brinzoni said that a military intervention to reestablish order in the face of a social outburst can't be discarded, but it will be done in the “framework of the Constitution and the rule of the law”.

• Tuesday, April 23rd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Duhalde ready to resign

  With barely a hundred days in office and a meager 14% public opinion support, while 49% of Argentines presumably want new elections, according to private polls, Argentine president Eduardo Duhalde said he was willing to move aside if Congress requested him.

• Tuesday, April 23rd 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile: “We can manage”

  In spite of a strong reaction in Santiago's currency markets to Argentina's decision to close banks and ban financial activities for the rest of the week, Chile “can live with the situation, if things don't get worse”, according to Mr. Carlos Massad, president of Chile's Central Bank.

• Friday, April 19th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur, 4 + 1 talks

  United States and Mercosur defined this week in Buenos Aires an agenda and working calendar to eliminate trade and investment obstacles and create conditions for a greater access to markets at both ends.

• Thursday, April 18th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Provinces on the spot light

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF, indicated this Wednesday in Buenos Aires that Argentina's access to financial aid depends largely on provincial government's budget adjustments.

• Thursday, April 18th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  “Symbolic signature”

  Discussions on the Political, Economic Association and Cooperation agreement between Chile and the European Union are expected to conclude soon, however a “symbolic signing” ceremony will take place in Madrid during the coming May Latinamerica-European Union summit.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil exploration in Uruguay

  A French vessel began this week hydrocarbon exploration operations in Uruguay's continental shelf in the River Plate.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF “blooper”

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF, was involved in a diplomatic “mishap” last week when it became the first multilateral institution in recognizing a Venezuelan government that lasted just over 24 hours.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2002 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile: Blame Congress

  In spite of progress in the last round of free trade talks between United States and Chile, held in Santiago, the lack of the Trade Promotion Authority, TPA, (the former “fast track”), is becoming a growing hurdle for a definitive agreement.