BRASILIA -(Dow Jones)- On his first state visit since taking office last month, Argentine President Nestor Kirchner reaffirmed his commitment Wednesday to implementing long-stalled integration goals for the Mercosur customs union by working closely with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
"We will work hard so that a Mercosur parliament becomes a reality so that all the instruments of physical, economic, political and cultural integration are implemented quickly," Kirchner said. Mercosur includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, while Chile and Bolivia are associate members.
A Mercosur parliament would help coordinate multilateral infrastructure investments and macroeconomic policies and has been talked about since the trade bloc formed about a decade ago.
Despite his interest in Mercosur, Kirchner emphasized he wants to boost exports to all corners of the globe as his country recovers from several years of economic paralysis and political instability.
"We must open the door to an agreement with Andean countries and seek full partnership with the European Union, the United States and the rest of the world," Kirchner added.
Mercosur is in ongoing trade talks with the European Union and the five-nation Andean Community, which includes Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
"We agree there is still a lot of work to do toward Mercosur integration," Lula said at a joint address at the presidential palace. "We share the view that Mercosur is a means toward sustainable growth in the region, improving income distribution and social development and strengthening the South American presence in the international sphere."
Kirchner and Lula, the two left-leaning leaders of the largest economies in South America, are trying to shore up struggling Mercosur at a time when talks are proceeding with the U.S. to create the Free Trade Area for Americas by 2005.
Analysts say Mercosur members could get a better deal in the hemisphere-wide FTAA by negotiating as a cohesive unit.
As agricultural giants, Brazil and Argentina could play an important role in shaping the outcome of any cuts to U.S. import tariffs under the agreement. Brazil and the U.S. co-chair talks for the FTAA.
-By Terry Wade and Gerald Jeffris, Dow Jones Newswires; 5511-3145-1479; brazil@dowjones.com
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