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During the 28th Mercosur Summit Meeting, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay discussed the constitution of a fund to finance infrastructure projects.
In order to reduce economic disparities among the countries that form the bloc, the presidents decided to allocate US$ 100 million annually to this fund. The meeting ended Monday, June 20, in Asunción, Paraguay.
Federal Deputy Maninha, who is a member of the Joint Parliamentary Commission on the Mercosur, affirmed that Brazil and Argentina will provide 70% of this amount.
"The fund is an instrument to help in the internal development of each country," she said.
She also emphasized the importance of strengthening the regional bloc in negotiations with other countries.
"Nowadays the Mercosur is able to conduct various negotiations with other countries, because the four countries are together. With our economies aligned, we can establish balance in a negotiating process."
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva concluded his participation in the Summit Meeting, by calling for progress in the creation of a joint industrial policy to integrate the region's productive systems.
Lula pledged to help Uruguay, which is assuming the temporary presidency of the bloc for the next six months, in mapping the countries' trade problems.
Lula also urged the participation of society, entrepreneurs, and lawmakers to strengthen the Mercosur, and he called for agility in the creation of the bloc's parliament, scheduled for 2006.
ABr - www.radiobras.gov.br
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