URUGUAY: ARGENTINA TAKING CASE AGAINST URUGUAYAN PAPER MILLS TO INTERNATIONAL COURT.
Relations between Argentina and Uruguay have deteriorated seriously because of two planned paper mills along a shared river. The Argentine government has announced plans to take its case against Uruguay's planned mills (see NotiSur, 2005-09-16) to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Meanwhile, environmental groups have blockaded the main bridge leading from Gualeguaychu, Argentina, to the western Uruguayan town of Fray Bentos, cutting transit and commerce into Uruguay for several consecutive days.
Environmentalists blockade road into Fray Bentos for days
Environmental groups opposing construction of the cellulose pulping plants have repeatedly blocked traffic on the Gualeguaychu highway that leads to a major crossing over the Rio Uruguay. The planned mills, within about 10 km of each other and near the town of Fray Bentos, are slated to be built by Finland's Metsa-Botnia and Spain's Empresa Nacional de Celulosa de Espana (ENCE).
The pulp mills--used in paper manufacturing--are drawing harsh criticism from environmentalists and protests from area residents, especially on the Argentine side of the river, where opposition takes some leadership from Jorge Busti, governor of the eastern province of Entre Rios, and the Asamblea Ambiental de Gualeguaychu. Argentina wants the projects halted because of concern the mills will emit harmful toxins.
Bilateral relations have entered a standoff, with the hard-line residents of Gualeguaychu making it seem unlikely that the two countries will negotiate a settlement to the dispute.
On Feb. 3, supporters of the Asamblea Ambiental began the blockade of the international bridge General San Martin between Fray Bentos and Puerto Unzue, Argentina. As of Feb. 8, the protest was still blocking movement of some 200 trucks with supplies destined for Uruguay. The protestors demanded the suspension of plant construction, but Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez said that would not happen.
Vazquez and his officials have repeatedly claimed there is no risk of contamination from the plants based on the modern technologies that the businesses will use. Entre Rios residents, however, anticipate irreversible damage to the river ecosystem.
Vazquez accuses Argentina of inflicting real harm on his country because of "a hypothetical harm." The blockade immobilized hundreds of trucks headed for Uruguay, some of them Chilean vehicles with supplies bound for the Fray Bentos plants. Some of those truckers decided to...
Para continuar leyendo
Solicita tu pruebaCOPYRIGHT GALE, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
