Brasília, 5/12/2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The secretary of International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, Marcos Caramuru, reports that the reason Mercosur ministers of Finance and Central Banks presidents decided to postpone from 2002 to 2006 the deadline for reaching their long-term inflation ceiling of 5% was due to the effects of the international situation on the region.

Risk aversion and low growth in developed nations affected Mercosur, said Caramuru, even though most countries in the region reduced their current account deficits and vulnerability. (AB)