CORDOBA, Argentina, July 18 .— The final stretch of the Summit of MERCOSUR Heads of State and associate states began today in this beautiful city in the province of the same name, with the meeting of national coordinators.

High-ranking representatives of the five member states (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and the recently joined Venezuela) will be involved in the preparatory discussions for the 31st Extraordinary Meeting of the Common Market Group (GMC).

The meetings are taking place in the Cordoba Fair Complex, an 11-acre facility built in 1978 with all the infrastructure and technology needed for a forum of this nature.

On Wednesday July 19, the GMC national coordinators and technical officials will prepare the 30th Meeting of the Council of the Common Market (CMC), which takes place on the following day with the ministers of foreign affairs, economy and central bank authorities from those nations.

The issues they are to address involve the current status of MERCOSUR and external negotiations, and it is expected that specific decisions will be made in that respect.

In the name of the pro tempore presidency held by his country during the first semester of 2006, Alfredo Chiaradia, Argentine deputy foreign minister, is to present a report on the work carried out, and then decisions and documents will be approved.

During that same forum, discussions in the afternoon will focus on specific issues on the agenda for MERCOSUR, associate states and regional integration, with a report to be presented by the host country on the Consultation and Political Coordination Forum.

There will also be a segment dedicated to special guests, where foreign ministers and/or high-ranking officials from those states will be able to present a particular issue or message related to the main theme.

That evening, when the presidents of the 10 member and associate states (Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru) have arrived, as well as other guests, their first meeting will take place in Ferreyra Palace, built between 1911 and 1913.

That is where the first "family photo" will be taken and the welcome dinner will be held, with President Kirchner as host. On the morning of the 21, the Argentine president will give the official opening remarks of the Summit at the Fair Complex.

Previously, on July 19 and 20, the Meeting for a Productive and Social MERCOSUR is to be held there, the first such meeting for involving civil society from the member states in the integration process.

Meanwhile, in the streets of Cordoba on July 18 and 19, a Summit for Sovereignty and South American Integration is to take place.

Issues to be discussed by participants from all over the subcontinent will reject the Free Trade Agreements and back the People’s Alternatives.