Argentina modifies its stance on FTAA

kinda sorta... at least for the public record...

Argentina said yesterday there is nothing wrong with seeking to create a free trade area in the Americas (FTAA) but that the "context" is not suitable to open the talks yet.

The comment by Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernández appeared to tone down the government’s staunch anti-FTAA stance during last week’s Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, which failed to resolve differences on setting up the trade zone linking the Americas from Canada to Patagonia.

"There is nothing wrong with the FTAA. The problem is trying to implement it in this context and under these conditions," said Fernández on radio.

The resistance of Argentina, along with the rest of Mercosur countries and Venezuela, led to the inclusion of two different views in the final statement of the 34-nation summit.

The United States and 28 other countries were in favour of moving forward with the FTAA, while Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela stated they were not ready to take part in the creation of the bloc.

After the summit, Bush flew to Brazil, where he agreed with President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva on Sunday to put their differences on trade aside and jointly push for progress towards a global trade deal, a move some interpreted as a change in Brazil’s Mar del Plata position.

"Brazil has not changed its position. The Lula government played a key role in the decision taken in the summit," said Fernández.

spin isn't a phenomenon unique to the u.s...

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