Uruguay and Argentina approved this week conditions to begin dredging the River Plate Martin Garcia access channel, an ongoing dispute of over ten years that seriously constrained Uruguay’s ports development, according to reports in the Montevideo media.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica left on Tuesday for a ten day visit to Europe that will take him to Sweden, Norway, Germany and Belgium, where he is expected to promote trade, investments and economic development.
Uruguay is reconsidering the situation and links with Mercosur, given the recent trade obstacles and tariffs imposed by Mercosur senior partners Brazil and Argentina, announced President Jose Mujica in an interview.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica admitted a certain ‘stinging feeling’ following the recent Brazilian decision to increase import taxes on vehicles by 30%, which could also have an impact on Mercosur partners.
President Jose Mujica admitted to Uruguayan manufacturers and farmers that with recurrent Argentine and Brazilian obstacles to trade “it’s very hard to make Mercosur function” and good relations between presidents “are not enough”.
Diplomatic relations between Argentina and Uruguay are going through “a very good moment, which can obviously be improved”, but there are “no open conflicts” because the dispute over the Botnia pulp mill has been definitively “buried”, said Argentine Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman.
The following feature piece from Reuters written by Hillary Burke and Malena Castaldi gives an idea of Uruguay’s international standing.
Uruguayan President Jose Mujica said Monday that the developed world financial scenario is quite disappointing almost regrettable, and recovery in those countries can be expected to be “very slow and full of uncertainties”
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, CFK, underlined the importance of dialogue between Argentina and Uruguay which enable to overcome ‘conflicts’, while her Uruguayan peer Jose Mujica said that the “good neighbours” policy is the only way forward and a win-win situation for both sides.
The dredging of the Uruguay River and access to the Martin Garcia canal as well as importing power from Paraguay are the two main issues of the agenda to be addressed by Presidents Jose Mujica and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner when they meet Tuesday in Buenos Aires.