Lula, Kirchner for Integration
Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil) and Nestor Kirchner (Argentina) are revamping Wednesday binational-regional integration at a meeting preceding another 3-way summit with their Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez.

Kirchner is flying to Brazil on a state visit to develop the working plan resulting from the agreements signed at a November 30 encounter in Iguazu Port to strengthen political, economic and social integration.

The two heads of state will also deal with the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) expansion, the South American Community of Nations consolidation plus the stabilization process in Haiti, where Brazil leads the UN peacekeeping troops and Argentina is a provider.

The ministerial delegation accompanying the Argentine dignitary will hold sector meetings with Brazilian authorities with a view to consolidate bilateral integration.

On Thursday, Lula, Kirchner and Chavez are resuming talks of their strategic alliance arranged in Montevideo at Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez´s inauguration in March 2005.

Also in 2005, the presidents met in May, in Brasilia, and in December in Montevideo at MERCOSUR summit, boosting integration and cooperation initiatives in the economic, commercial, social and energy fields.

Parallel gatherings were held among the three states´ ministers of those sectors and presidents of central banks.

These meetings resulted in the creation of Petrosur as the political entity to coordinate energy and oil actions and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the gas pipeline projected.

During Thursday´s meeting Lula, Kirchner and Chavez will evaluate, as well, cooperation proposals in education, culture, economy and energy as well as global-regional concerns.