Following months of negotiations the Uruguayan government signed Thursday a controversial trade agreement with United States in spite of dissent inside the left leaning ruling coalition over how far closer links with Washington will lead.
Argentina on Wednesday reiterated confidence in Spain's dialogue facilitating efforts and called for collaboration in reaching a solution for the diplomatic conflict with Uruguay over the construction or pulp mills.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague turned down on Tuesday a request by Uruguay to force Argentina to end blockades of roads and bridges linking the neighbouring countries in protest over the construction of a paper mill on the Uruguayan side.
Spain's ENCE unveiled this week in Montevideo plans to produce a million tons of cellulose by September 2009 in a plant to be built in the south west of Uruguay along the River Plate coast.
Uruguay's Tabare Vazquez said he was deeply concerned fearing that the recurrent regional summit with the participation of Latinamerican leaders could turn into a mere protocol routine.
The Uruguayan government is confident of a positive ruling from the International Court of The Hague calling for an end to blockades by Argentine environmentalists protesting against the construction of a pulp mill on the Uruguayan side of a shared river that acts as a natural border between the neighboring countries.
The Uruguayan flagged scallop trawler Holberg which ran aground in the Falkland Islands and was later re-floated by a team of divers from the Uruguayan Navy finally arrived in Montevideo over the weekend, towed by the Mariana Rojamar II.
Uruguay and Argentina clashed over the pulp mills controversy during the Thursday meeting of the Mercosur ministerial Council currently taking place in Rio do Janeiro.
Uruguay and United States will sign next week a trade and investment agreement to strengthen and diversify bilateral trade relations announced in Washington John Veroneau, deputy chief of the US Trade Representative Office.
Hundreds of passengers waiting to travel on the ferry shuttle between Buenos Aires and Montevideo suffered this week unexpected delays because of lack of vessels and stricter migration regulations for minors, admitted Buquebus, the company which has a virtual monopoly of the River Plate crossings.