[North-NV-Greens] Fwd: Latin American Leaders Sign Historic Pact

[Paul Etxeberri]

>
>
>Miami Herald
>November 6, 2004
>
>SOUTH AMERICA
>
>Heads of state to sign historic pact
>
>South America will form a Community of Nations next
>month in a move some members believe could help
>counterbalance the strength of the United States.
>
>By Raymond Colitt
>
>South America's heads of state will take a historic
>step toward regional integration with the creation next
>month of the South American Community of Nations.
>
>The new momentum behind a century-old idea is
>indicative of the growing unity that President Bush
>will face during his second term in attempts to
>intensify relations with the region and create a Free
>Trade Area of the Americas.
>
>The main objectives of the community, outlined Thursday
>by foreign ministers at a summit in Rio de Janeiro,
>will be to foster political, economic and
>infrastructural integration. Some members, led by
>Brazil, believe the group could help counterbalance
>U.S. supremacy in the region and improve the bloc's
>bargaining position, particularly in trade
>negotiations.
>
>"It will strengthen the region in its trade
>negotiations with developed countries," said Celso
>Amorim, Brazil's foreign minister.
>
>The proposed community would have a population of more
>than 360 million, a gross domestic product of $800
>billion and exports of about $188 billion. South
>American leaders will meet Dec. 7-9 in Cuzco, Peru, to
>form the group, Bloomberg News reported.
>
>The move comes after Mercosur and the Andean Community,
>the region's two trade blocs, signed a trade agreement
>last month. Chile, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana,
>which were left out, will be included in the new South
>American group.
>
>For now, there will neither be costly headquarters nor
>permanent employees. Instead, the presidency will
>rotate among members, beginning in Peru. A new
>constitution is expected to be drafted within six
>months and submitted to the respective congresses for
>approval.
>
>Yet behind the facade, regional unity is fragile at
>best. Several countries, some of them heavily dependent
>on U.S. aid and investment, are negotiating bilateral
>trade agreements with Washington. And frequent trade
>disputes within Mercosur, particularly between
>Argentina and Brazil, have overshadowed the group's
>initial success and brought trade growth to a virtual
>standstill.
>
>The integration process has gained renewed impetus with
>the spread of left-leaning governments throughout the
>region, from Argentina and Brazil to Ecuador and Peru.
>Uruguay was the latest country to join the group with
>the election of Tabare V·zquez as president Sunday.
>
>Opinion polls in recent weeks have suggested that Bush
>is unpopular in the region.
>
>While Luiz In·cio Lula da Silva, Brazil's president,
>emphasized the good relations with Washington as part
>of his congratulations for Bush's reelection, Amorim
>hoped for more "respect and solidarity" during Bush's
>second term.
>
>Yet some leaders rejected the idea of an anti-American
>movement. "The South American community does not rule
>out a stronger relation with the United States," said
>Alejandro Toledo, Peru's president.
>
>While critics say the move is utopian and a waste of
>taxpayers' money, its architects argue that all
>integration projects begin with big ideas followed up
>over decades. Manuel RodrÌguez Cuadros, Peru's foreign
>minister, said: "This is not simply a declaration of
>good intentions."
>
>(c) 2004 Herald.com and wire service sources. All
>Rights Reserved. http://www.miami.com
>
>http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/10102371.htm
>
>_______________________________________________________
>
>portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news,
>discussion and debate service of the Committees of
>Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. It aims to
>provide varied material of interest to people on the
>left.
>
>For answers to frequently asked questions:
><http://www.portside.org/faq>
>
>To subscribe, unsubscribe or change settings:
><http://lists.portside.org/mailman/listinfo/portside>
>
>To submit material, paste into an email and send to:
><moderator at portside.org> (postings are moderated)
>
>For assistance with your account:
><support at portside.org>
>
>To search the portside archive:
><http://people-link5.inch.com/pipermail/portside/>


-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand