Brasília, 12/6/2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Lafer, says he is convinced that talks underway within Mercosur will result in its "institutional strengthening." He went on to say that union in the economic block for Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, "was not an option, it was destiny."

With regard to Argentina, Lafer said "the worst is over," and as the country reached the end of the year, there were signs of recovery in the financial system with the end of the impounding of savings (known as the "curralito"), and advances in the political sector. (AB)