BUENOS AIRES, April 21 (UPI) -- President Nestor Kirchner of Argentine and Bolivian President Carlos Mesa signed a broad trade agreement Wednesday for the sale of gas to Argentina.
The leaders' agreement will permit Argentina to import 4 million cubic meters daily (1.057 billion gallons) of gas for a period of 6 months, to help help relieve the energy crisis facing Argentina.
Though the agreement seems likely to become a reality, its scope is still uncertain. Both countries will be working out the technicalities later Wednesday.
One condition of the agreement is that the trade deal with Argentina will not be triangular with Chile, a country with which Bolivia maintains a separate bilateral agreement. Bolivia has agreed to eventually sell gas to Chile in exchange for Bolivian access to the sea.
The two presidents will sign two other agreements during Mesa's vist: one regulating the migration of millions of Bolivians residing illegally in Argentina, and another that seeks to add greater balance to commerce between the two countries.
