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CUBA, December 16, 2008. The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) wrapped their summits after stressing their full support of regional integration. According to international media outlets, both meetings held in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, concluded with a statement in favor of boosting the ongoing regional integration process and reaching a common understanding on how to face the current world economic crises. All four MERCOSUR full members (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) plus associate and guest nations agreed to safeguarding and strengthening their policies for the protection of the most vulnerable sectors of society. Meanwhile, the twelve member nations that make up UNASUR agreed, during their summit, to create the South-American Defense and Health Councils, as announced by Brazilian Foreign Affairs Minister Celso Amorim. Amorim also said that the conference decided to appoint its new general secretary next April at the most, once the mandate of Chile's Pro-tempore Presidency ends. UNASUR's member countries are Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana. (Cubaminrex- ACN) |