& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Mercosur to cut tariff by 3pc next year
BUENOS AIRES. July 7: South America's Mercosur will cut its tariff on imports from the rest of the world by three percentage points in 2001. making it easier for Chile to join the world's third trade bloc, a senior Argentine official confirmed yesterday, reports Reuters.
The reduction in the average common external tariff to I I percent from 14 percent at the end of this year was agreed on by the bloc's two largest members. Brazil and Argentina, in late 1997.
"Obviously I consider that decision will be respected, so the tariff will fall by three points at the end of the year." said Norberto lanelli, Argentina's Undersecretary for economic integration.
Paraguay and Uruguay are also members of Mercosur but account for less than 5 per cent of its $1 trillion economy.
Chile and Bolivia are associate members.
Mercosur — especially Argentina — is eager for Chile to become a full member. But Chile, which h^s b^ ObgiQf.the, strongest-performing emerging markets over the past two decades, has said it will not increase its tariffs, as this could damage its export-led economy.
Chile has a flat-rate tariff of 9 per cent, which it plans to cut to 6 per cent by 2003.
Mercosur's tariffs vary ac-
cording to the product involved. But the average level Is currently 14 per cent. Argentine officials said.
"I think that the cut In the common external tariff will help Chile join Mercosur." economist Raul Ochoa, a former trade undersecretary for Argentine. told Reuters.
But economists say there are other deep differences between Chile, which is committed to trade, and Mercosur, which wants to protect some of Its industries. notably its car manufactures.
Mercosur countries say the bloc has an importance beyond trade and gives South American countries a voice on the world stage
Mercosur's four core members have a combined imputation of 200 million, ( bile has 15 million people and an annual gross domestic product of $80 billion. Bolivia, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, has 8 million people.
A reduction in Mercosur's tariffs could hit some of the blot ^ JnfUi^tieS J particularly. In Argerlurrar'econointMs said.
Unlike other countries in the region. Argentina has pegged its currency at a fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. Its goods, therefore, become less competitive if other currencies lose ground against the greenback.