Buenos Aires, 10/17/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - South American regional integration and the need to strengthen relations with Argentina were at the center of the speeches made by president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during his visit to that country which began yesterday. Saying that the two countries were at "the most important moment," in their history as they seek to renew their alliance, Lula said that a Brazil-Argentine union was the only way both countries could develop.

"We have discovered that we are poor. We also discovered we cannot get anywhere alone. But united we can become a powerhouse," said Lula. Calling the president of Argentina, Nestor Kirchner, a "brother," and speaking like the union leader he was, Lula called on Kirchner to join him in the fight to end social injustice and inequality. "You are more than a partner. You are a brother. More than a brother, you are a companion [in this fight]," declared Lula.

With the signing of the Buenos Aires Consensus, the two presidents demonstrated that they are determined to move ahead with "serious captialism... that will promote moral and institutional [as well as] political and economic changes...And globalization that benefits all - not just a few," in the words of Kirchner.

Spokesman for the governments of Brazil and Argentina have refused to call the Buenos Aires Consensus an answer to the so-called Washington Consensus which is believed to guide the thinking of transnational financial institutions and developed nation economic policy.

The Buenos Aires Consensus document consists of 22 articles which, among other things, call for respecting international treaties and contracts, especially with regard to human rights, labor laws and environmental protection. The document also endorses Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations with Mercosur as the launch platform, and demands that economic and cultural peculiarities be respected.

The Buenos Aires Consensus is considered the embryo of a new regional integration policy and was followed up by other agreements that Lula and Kirchner signed dealing with environment, security, competition, eliminating red tape and trade. One of them creates a Monitoring Commission for Brazil-Argentina Trade.

Lula called the agreements concrete action proving that the idea of regional integration has moved beyond rhetoric. He pointed out that "integration means integrating ports, airports and energy. Without joining these things together, there is no integration."

After signing the agreements Lula went to the Argentine congress where he called for work to move ahead on the creation of a Mercosur Parliament. He also called for a peaceful solution to the crisis in Bolivia.

Today Lula travels to the city of El Calafate, in Patagonia, southern Argentina, where Kirchner has his political base. The two presidents will have lunch there and continue their talks. (AB)