BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA FRIDAY CALLED HIS SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS TO REINVENT THE MERCOSUR REGIONAL TRADE ALLIANCE AND "CORRESPOND TO THE EXPECTATIONS" OF ALL THE BLOC'S MEMBER, DPA REPORTED. SPEAKING AT THE MERCOSUR PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT IN THE ARGENTINE CITY OF CORDOBA, LULA ADMITTED THAT THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS WITHIN THE ALLIANCE MADE UP BY ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY AND VENEZUELA. HOWEVER, HE INSISTED THAT SUCH DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ARE INHERENT TO ANY INTEGRATION PROCESS. "I DO NOT AGREE THAT MERCOSUR IS UNDERGOING A CRISIS. IN 1998 THERE WAS TALK ABOUT DISSOLUTION AND I INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NO CRISIS IN THE BLOC, BUT RATHER IN THE COUNTRIES THAT CONSTITUTED IT," LULA SAID. "OUR CENTRAL OBJECTIVES REMAIN MORE VALID THAN EVER," HE SAID. THE BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT CALLED FOR A NEW STAR TO ADD TO THE FOUR CURRENTLY IN THE WHITE MERCOSUR FLAG, TO INCLUDE RECENT MEMBER VENEZUELA. HE PREDICTED THAT BOLIVIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WILL "SOON" HAVE THEIR OWN STARS IN THAT FLAG. -
