Argentine president appeals to Finnish government in pulp mill dispute

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Argentine President Nestor Kirchner is calling for an intervention of the Finnish government in Argentina’s dispute over the construction of a pulp mill by the Finnish company Metsä-Botnia in neighbouring Uruguay.
      The plant, as well as a similar facility being built by a Spanish company, is going up in Fray Bentos on the Uruguay River. The river forms the border between the two countries, and the pulp mill project has raised anger in Argentina. President Kirchner wants the Finnish government to put pressure on Botnia to suspend the construction, and to be more open about the project’s environmental implications.
      Reuters news agency reported that late on Wednesday the Finnish Embassy in Buenos Aires published a statement emphasising that the dispute is between Uruguay and Argentina. The statement also said that Finland urged Botnia to continue to provide all necessary information on the environmental impact of the project.
     
On Wednesday, President Kirchner urged Botnia and the Spanish company Ence to suspend construction for 90 days to allow for the completion of an environmental impact report.
      Kirchner also reiterated his own active role in the dispute, and appealed to the Finnish government.
      In the first direct appeal to Finland in the issue, Kirchner said that the Finnish government shares responsibility, but has remained silent.
      Botnia suspended construction for ten days, but the work resumed on Tuesday this week.
     
Finland’s minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomäki (Centre) said on Thursday that the Finnish government is not a party to the dispute.
      Lehtomäki will visit both Argentina and Uruguay during a trip to South America of a Finnish business delegation later this month.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  World Bank: No environmental hazard from planned Uruguay pulp mills (13.4.2006)
  Pulp mill dispute between Argentina and Uruguay intensifies (12.4.2006)
  Pulp mill protesters dismantle one roadblock on Argentina´s border with Uruguay (22.3.2006)
  Up to 10,000 demonstrate in favour of Botnia pulp mill in Uruguay (17.3.2006)
  Uruguay government asks Botnia for "gesture" on controversial pulp mill issue (16.3.2006)

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