The President of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, commented, Wednesday, November 30, that industrial production in Brazil and Argentina needs to be balanced.
"Our integration cannot proceed with one country gaining industrial advantages and the other exporting only raw materials and agricultural commodities," he affirmed, following a meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Brazil-Argentina Friendship Day.
The Argentineans have proposed the erection of barriers against Brazilian products that threaten their industries. The proposal is still being examined by the Brazilian government.
President Lula has already declared that Brazil wants Argentina to be strong and creative. "We, more than anyone else, must understand that Argentina has to beef up its industry; more than anyone else, that Argentina has to recover the production capacity it once had on our continent; and that the stronger Argentina is, the stronger Brazil will be; the stronger Brazil is, the stronger Argentina will be; and the stronger Argentina and Brazil are, the stronger Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia will be and the stronger all South America will be," he affirmed.
Lula criticized those who claim that Brazil and Argentina do not enjoy a good relationship.
"What is taking place today seemed to be impossible in the eyes of the pessimists, who frequently peddled the idea that there is no solution for Argentina and Brazil, that they are mortal enemies and, therefore, incapable of working things out. Argentina has to maintain a special relationship with other countries, and Brazil, too, with other countries," he remarked.
The governments of the two countries signed 22 cooperation agreements, and the two presidents signed the Iguazú Declaration, in which they renewed their pledge to seek economic, social, and cultural integration.
Agência Brasil
