MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, July 7 (UPI) -- Uruguay's uneasy relationship with Argentina reached a new low with charges the Argentine navy was regularly harassing Uruguayan merchant and naval ships in international waters of the South Atlantic.
Allegations of the naval harassment, cited by Uruguay's El Pais newspaper in a report that quoted unnamed parliamentary sources, capped a period of a tense standoff over unresolved trade issues and a long-running row over alleged river pollution by a pulp mill.
Analysts said Argentine actions were beginning to test a conciliatory stance toward Buenos Aires adopted by President Jose Mujica, a populist former guerrilla leader who came to power in March.
The harassment incidents were so frequent in recent weeks that Defense Minister Luis Rosadilla went to parliament to draw members' attention to what he termed a "very serious situation," El Pais reported.
Although largely dependent on agricultural exports that make up 10 percent of its gross domestic product, Uruguay is rated as one of the most economically developed countries in South America.
It is also rated by Transparency International as one of the freest and least corrupt countries in Latin America. Critics of Argentina say Uruguay's economic advantage and reputation engenders jealousies.
Last week Uruguayan Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Almagro and Argentine counterpart Hector Timerman met in Montevideo to address a full agenda of bilateral issues. El Pais said the alleged naval harassment was one of the topics brought up by Uruguay.
The Uruguayan government later informed parliamentary committees on the outcome of the ministerial meeting and listed several incidents in South Atlantic international waters that involved Uruguayan and Argentine vessels.
Rosadilla said the government took a serious view of Argentine naval harassment especially since most of the reported incidents took place outside of Argentina's jurisdiction in international waters of the South Atlantic.
Rosadilla said the naval incidents had occurred during the last two to three weeks and involved interference with shipping and bullying of the vessels.
He said Uruguayan navy vessels weren't spared in the alleged harassment incidents.
There was no immediate Argentine reaction to Uruguayan accusations.
Mujica's government has ordered Uruguayan naval intelligence to look into the incidents, the reports said. Some of the Uruguayan vessels that were intercepted were ordered to change their routes, Rosadilla said.
Uruguayan officials challenged Argentine claims that Uruguay's vessels had crossed into Argentina's waters, Rosadilla said.
The latest row comes as Argentine exporters had pinned hopes on boosting trade with Uruguay with an expected resolution of the pulp mill dispute that blocked access over a shared bride over the Uruguay river.
