Brazilian President
Calls For Increased
Regional Integration
Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva has
called for increased
regional integration as
his country takes over
the rotating presidency
of the Common Market of
the South (Mercosur)
from Argentina.
He made the call Tuesday
at the 35th Mercosur
summit being held in the
northern Argentine city
of San Miguel de
Tucuman.
"Trade is an important
element for our
integration," said Lula.
Mercosur has moved
forward a lot and its
citizens have actively
participated in the
bloc's onward march, he
said.
However, "integration
does not end with
trade," Lula said.
Referring to the
Argentina-Brazil joint
initiative for better
integration, he said the
region will study how to
integrate its oil and
gas productive chains.
During Brazil's
presidency, the country
will also collaborate
with social and
non-governmental
organizations in
Mercosur for better
social integration, said
Lula.
Mercosur was founded in
1991 by Brazil,
Argentina, Uruguay and
Paraguay. Venezuela
signed a membership
agreement in 2007 but is
yet to complete the
process of becoming a
full member.
The group's associate
members are Bolivia,
Chile, Colombia, Peru
and Ecuador.
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