[NYTr] Argentina Takes Up MERCOSUR Presidency

[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

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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 Communiqué 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.