The Bishops’ Conference of Uruguay has released a statement drafted at their last general assembly in which they call for efforts to avoid a commercial conflict with Argentina. The statement also announced a meeting between a group of bishops from Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil during the month of May.

The bishops pointed out that “the conflict that today affects our country’s relationship with Argentina caught the attention of the Assembly.  The bishops are very concerned about how this might immediately impact the people, especially those who live on the coast, but also about the future repercussions for relations between our two sister nations.”

Argentina and Uruguay are currently in a dispute over the construction of two cellulose plants which would bring in $1.8 billion in investments for Uruguay.  However, Argentina argues the plants would lead to an ecological disaster in the Uruguay River, which runs between both nations.

Both countries, together with Brazil and Paraguay, form a common market region known as the Mercosur, or southern market.

The bishops announced that Church leaders from the four countries would meet in Brazil at the end of May to discuss the issue.