Experts begin to discuss agenda for the 30th MERCOSUR Summit
• Foreign ministers, economic ministers and Central Bank officials debate key topics prior to the meeting of presidents • Heads of State Summit in session Thursday and Friday

BY NIDIA DIAZ AND JUVENAL BALAN (Photo)— Granma daily special correspondents

CORDOBA, Argentina, July 18.— The national and technical coordinators and other experts of the five member countries of Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) are meeting this Wednesday to draft an agenda for the 30th summit of this Common Market Council and for the meeting of heads of states scheduled for Thursday and Friday at the Fairground Complex where they are still making the finishing touches befitting such an important meeting.

Today debates began among high-ranking officials of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela, presided over by acting National Coordinator Alfredo Chiaradia, secretary of international trade of the host country.

The agenda includes an analysis and discussion of key issues of regional integration such as the MERCOSUR Customs Code, the Shared Border Area Agreement, the modification of the South Common Nomenclature, and the appointment of members of the Administrative Labor Court, among others.

On Thursday foreign ministers, economic ministers, and Central Bank officials will join the discussions on issues confronting the MERCOSUR in relation to the bloc as a high level institution and the monitoring of social policy applications, the raison d’être of this new undertaking to leave behind the absolute prioritization of trade and the market in the common relations of the region.