[NYTr] Argentina Takes Up MERCOSUR Presidency Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:01:37 -0600 (CST) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Prensa Latina, Havana http://www.plenglish.com Argentina Assumes MERCOSUR Presidency Montevideo, Dec 18 (Prensa Latina) On behalf of her country, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez assumed the presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) for the first half of 2008 on Tuesday. Amid applause at the 34th Summit of Heads of State of the bloc, the stateswoman received the symbolic mallet from Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez. Fernandez promised to exercise her mandate with equity and passion, and disqualified those who predicted Mercosur a brief life or only formal existence. Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva (Brazil), Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay), Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia) and Michelle Bachelet (Chile) also attended the solemn session. All present declared common agreement that the way to integration is not exempt from obstacles, but proclaimed their will and hopes for Mercosur to be a key in the economic and social development of those countries. Previously, the heads of Mercosur member and associate states unanimously approved three basic documents that were agreed upon earlier by their foreign ministers. The first document is for Venezuela's full entry to Mercosur as soon as possible, the second approved the Joint Communique by the States and those associated to the bloc to create a forum for consultation and political agreement, and the third was the 34th Summit"s Final Declaration. hr ccs iff asg PL-28 *** Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN) http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles Argentina Takes Up MERCOSUR Presidency Havana, Dec 18 (acn) On behalf of her country, Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez took on the presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) for the first half of 2008 on Tuesday. Amid applause at the 34th Summit of Heads of State of the bloc, the stateswoman received the symbolic mallet from Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, reported PL news agency. Fernandez promised to exercise her mandate with equity and passion, and disqualified those who predicted Mercosur a brief life or only formal existence. Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva (Brazil), Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay), Hugo Chavez (Venezuela), Evo Morales (Bolivia) and Michelle Bachelet (Chile) also attended the solemn session. All present declared common agreement that the way to integration is not exempt from obstacles, but proclaimed their will and hopes for Mercosur to be a key in the economic and social development of those countries. Previously, the heads of Mercosur member and associate states unanimously passed three basic documents that were agreed upon earlier by their foreign ministers. The first document is for Venezuela's full entry to Mercosur as soon as possible, the second approved the Joint CommuniquC) by the States and those associated to the bloc to create a forum for consultation and political agreement, and the third was the 34th Summit's Final Declaration. * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================