U.S. ties Argentina support to reform ***O'Neill said it is clear that Argentina will not be in a sustainable economic position until the central government has stronger powers to restrain spending by provincial governments. ''They have got to have an arrangement so that the national government is not at the mercy of whatever the provinces decide to do,'' O'Neill said***
Argentine president vows financial rescue ***Espert, the economist, said the IMF has called on Argentinean governors to make cuts that would force the dismissal of as many as 500,000 employees of the 1.2 million workers now on payrolls of state governments.***
Senate clears landmark 'fast-track' trade bill*** WASHINGTON -- In a mixed blessing for President Bush, the Democrat-controlled Senate on Thursday approved 66-30 a bill granting him authority to negotiate international trade agreements and providing generous benefits to displaced workers. But the measure also would give Congress the ability to amend treaties after they are negotiated -- a provision Bush Cabinet officials say could trigger a presidential veto if it isn't stripped.
"You won't have trade promotion authority (because) you could change part of the agreement, so how are you going to get countries to negotiate with you," said Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, a key Republican who helped draft the bill. It is unclear whether Republicans have enough support to remove that provision when they meet with House negotiators over differences in the two chambers' bills. In December, the House passed a Bush-backed trade bill by one vote. ***