Latin America, Caribbean heavily
hit by global warming
Experts warned Saturday Latin
America and the Caribbean are
suffering from global warming,
and the problem may become more
serious due to the lack of
proper measures.
The statement came in the report
"Climate Change in Latin America
and the Caribbean" presented to
the ongoing World Meeting on
Climate Change, which will last
12 days and end here on Friday.
The experts believed that the
climate change caused by
greenhouse gases will bring
serious consequences to Latin
America and the Caribbean
although the countries are
seldom blamed for causing the
problem.
About 70 percent of the
greenhouse gases in Latin
America are produced by Brazil,
Venezuela and Argentina, which
however accounted for only 8.0
percent of the world's total.
Latin America's output of
industrial carbon dioxide
reached only 4.3 percent ofthe
global total, the report said.
Nevertheless, poverty,
degradation of natural
resources, and lack of plans to
cope with damages have made the
region vulnerable to climate
change.
Increased intensity and
frequency of hurricanes, changes
of rain patterns, rising river
levels, reduction of glaciers in
Patagonia and the Andes are all
symptoms of global warming in
Latin America and the Caribbean,
the report said
The experts asked Latin America
and the Caribbean to demand
developed countries cut the
emission of greenhouse gases.
Argentina considers full
repayment of IMF debt
Argentina is considering a full
repayment of its debt with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF),
daily La Nacion said Saturday.
The Argentine government is
studying a new plan to deal with
15billion US dollars of debt to
be paid by Dec. 17-24, 2008 to
the IMF.
In 2005, Argentina has to face
the maturity of its debt with
the IMF, amounting to 5.62
billion dollars, of which at
least 3.75billions can not be
paid.
The Argentine petition for the
payment of the debt with the
IMFcould not occur only until
the overdue-debt-swap process is
completed with private
creditors, due on Feb. 25.
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Peru's production minister
visits China for economic
cooperation
A delegation led by Peru's
Production Minister Alfonso
Velasquez departed for China
Saturday to seek economic
cooperation with the
fast-growing economy and try to
attract investment to the Andean
country.
The goal of this trip is "to see
what we could offer to the
Chinese for the amazing growth
of their imports," Velasquez
said before his departure.
The minister said he was certain
that they will get responses
from Chinese entrepreneurs,
which will not only allow Peru
to make use of its raw
materials, but to attract
investment as well.
The delegation, which comprises
private investors in various
production fields, will arrive
first in Beijing before visiting
other important cities,
Velasquez said.
Peruvian President Alejandro
Toledo met with his Chinese
counterpart Hu Jintao during the
Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) forum held
last month in Chile's capital
Santiago. Velasquez said the two
sides then addressed a wide
range of issues "to be discussed
again in this official visit."
The minister said during this
visit Peru will help make itself
a recognized "tourist
destination of China," and
discuss with China on issues of
small-sized companies,
competitiveness improvement,
technical and credit assistance,
and a sanitary agreement on
agricultural products.
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