The presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, signed, Wednesday, November 30, the Iguazú Declaration, commemorating the 20th anniversary of Brazil-Argentina Friendship Day.
The two countries renewed their pledge to seek economic and social integration, deepen the Mercosur, solidify the South American Community of Nations, and fight hunger.
Brazil and Argentina will also strive to contrive a mechanism, by the end of January, 2006, to prevent "trade imbalances and asymmetries between productive sectors in the two countries."
According to the declaration, Lula and Kirchner plan to meet with entrepreneurs from both countries in February, 2006, in São Paulo, to discuss economic and investment issues.
Lula and Kirchner also pledged to act together "vis-à-vis multilateral credit institutions" to keep these institutions from imposing conditions that hamper the adoption of job creation and social inclusion policies in their countries.
"Based on the reality of regional experience, Brazil and Argentina believe that the market does not resolve all problems and that it is indispensable to develop a common development promotion strategy, centered on a direct attack on exclusion," the declaration states.
In the declaration the two presidents also determined that their energy and planning ministries arrange with Venezuela to proceed with studies for the construction of a natural gas pipeline linking the three nations. A panel of experts will meet to debate the matter in Caracas, Venezuela, in December.
Brazil-Argentina Friendship Day was established in 1985 by former presidents José Sarney (Brazil) and Raul Alfonsín (Argentina), who were present at the Puerto Iguazú commemorations.
Agência Brasil
