Argentina's Kirchner Meets With Regional Leaders

<a href=www.voanews.com>VOA News 26 May 2003, 22:00 UTC

New Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has met with several regional leaders, pledging to "work with everyone" to help his country overcome its severe financial crisis.

Mr. Kirchner made the promise Monday in Buenos Aires, where he spent his first full day in office meeting with the presidents of Bolivia, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The presidents were among several regional leaders who attended Mr. Kirchner's swearing-in ceremony on Sunday. Mr. Kirchner is Argentina's sixth president since political turmoil led to the resignation of Fernando de la Rua in late 2001.

In his inaugural address, the new Argentine leader said the country must be opened to the world. He pledged to work for conditions where Argentina can create what he called a credible and serious economy.

Mr. Kirchner also called on international markets to be patient as he works to help the economy recover from the crisis that triggered widespread unemployment and social unrest.

Argentina has defaulted on $141 billion in public debt. President Kirchner says his administration will renegotiate the debt, but warned the country cannot pay back what it owes lenders at the expense of those in need of houses, schools, and health care. Mr. Kirchner also says the priority of his new foreign policy is building a politically stable and prosperous Latin America with democracy and social justice as its foundations.