Brasília - Today in Assunción, Paraguay, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva participated in a ceremony to inaugurate the headquarters of the Permanent Appeals Court of the Mercosur. The court will be a venue of last resort to judge trade disputes between Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, members of the trade bloc. All the decisions will have the force of law.

Also in Assunción, right after the inauguration of the court, President Lula took part in the planting of trees typical of the Mercosur countries in the side garden of the Villa Rosalba Palace.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Ana Paula Marra
Translator: David Silberstein
08/13/2004