Érica Santana
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – During a summit yesterday in the city of Puerto Yguazu, in Argentina on the so-called Triple Border (Tríplice Fronteira), where the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela formally acepted the participation of Bolivia in a gas pipeline project that will connect much of the South American continent. The announcement was made by the president of Argentina, Néstor Kirchner, during a press conference after the summit.

"We shall overcome all difficulties in order to complete this project," declared the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. "This will ensure that all the participating countries will get cheap, clean energy."

At the moment, there are plans, but only plans, for a 10,000 kilometer pipeline to run from Venezuela, through Brazil all the way to Argentina. A 3,100 kilometer pipeline that already exists connecting Bolivia and Brazil would probably be connected to the Venezuela-Argentina pipeline.

Asked about the nationalization of Bolivia's oil and gas reserves, the four presidents denied the existence of a conflict. Lula told journalists that the consolidation of democracy in South America was one of the reasons it was easy to overcome regional conflicts nowadays.

Translation: Allen Bennett