Fauxie said:

tunisia.


i'll cheer for you tomorrow though!!

sitting in my Paraguay shirt.Im thinking about trying to phone a random family in Paraguay and send them my support.
What language do they speak in Paraguay?

Political relations
Germany's relations with Paraguay have been amicable and untroubled over many years and particularly with the new government as of 2003. Paraguay holds Germany in high regard, due partly to the strong German element in the country. Germany's role in the European Union is generally recognized, above all in relations with the Mercosur free trade area.

Due to the relatively large number of German nationals (some 10,000) and citizens of German descent (about 120,000), consular services are in considerable demand.

The state visit of President Nicanor Duarte from 13 to 17 October 2004, the first in over 30 years, has given fresh impetus to relations.

Economic relations
In terms of Technical and Financial Cooperation, Germany is one of Paraguay's main economic partners. As a result of Paraguay's economic downturn (as a result of the general crisis in Latin America in the 90s), however, trade has been stagnant in recent years. For Germany, Paraguay is relatively important as a buyer of motor vehicles, machinery, chemical products and foodstuffs, although it still recorded a low ranking in foreign trade statistics for 2004.

- Imports from Paraguay (2004): EUR 68.6 million
- Exports to Paraguay (2004): EUR 34.5 million

Germany ranks high in Paraguay’s foreign trade statistics.

On the economic front, the following bilateral agreements have been concluded:

Agreement on most-favoured-nation treatment and commercial protection rights of 30 July 1955
Arrangement on trade and payments of 25 July 1955
Air traffic agreement of 26 November 1974 (no direct flight)
Double-taxation agreement on income from the operation of international air services of 27 January 1982
Accord on the promotion and mutual protection of investments of 11 August 1993 (in force as of 3 July 1998)
Since 1989, landless Paraguayan farmers have repeatedly occupied property also belonging to Germans. Owing to the social problems in rural areas, it is often difficult for the government to provide full protection for real estate investments. The situation would appear to have eased since the beginning of 2005. Under the investment protection and promotion agreement, investors can petition an international arbitration court.

Development cooperation
Technical Cooperation as part of German development aid is governed by the Framework Agreement of 21 November 1967 as amended on 10 December 1971. There are currently three long-term experts from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and one expert from the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in Paraguay. They work in agriculture and forestry, rural development, environment, resource conservation, geoscientific exploration of resources and state modernization (reform of criminal justice and decentralization). Priorities in Financial Cooperation have included electricity supply in the Chaco area (EUR 20.5 million), a lending programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the food industry (EUR 6.6 million) and a reforestation programme (EUR 11.8 million). A project for the sustainable management of natural resources is also underway (EUR 11.7 million).

Apart from government projects, numerous private German agencies and the churches are also engaged in the development sector.

Cultural relations
Cultural relations are wide-ranging. The bilateral cultural agreement signed on 23 June 1993 entered into force on 19 August 1994. The main focus of cultural promotion measures is still on the school sector. Some 8,800 pupils learn German at 50 Paraguayan schools. Except for those in the capital, these are mainly schools in the colonies of German immigrants who are part of an ongoing integration process. Including state schools and the two cultural institutes, there are some 11,500 German learners. In the Mennonite colonies in central Chaco, German is the lingua franca.

The private German-Paraguayan cultural institute in Asunción has come to be respected for its events, which make a tangible contribution to Paraguay's cultural life. As a Goethe Centre, the cultural institute works closely with the Goethe Institutes in the region. Also private, the cultural institute in Encarnación plays an important role in its region.

In the university sector, bilateral cooperation is particularly pronounced in science and technology, for example visits by German academics or study and research trips by Paraguayans to Germany, mostly supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Further sources of information
Countries A to Z

muirdo said:

Fascinating info Muirdo thanks!

Based solely on what's above, I shall also be supporting them this afternoon.

No other reason.

you guys are hilarious....




go england!!

1:0 already! Damn, that was fast!

I can't believe this. They're not showing the England game here!

They showed both games yesterday, but all channels in Thailand right now are showing a news special on the King's 60 year anniversary.

It's not on cable on ESPN or Star Sports either.

Why?????

Fauxie said:

I actually turned it on. I don't have cable, but I get it on our local Spanish language channel. I can't understand the commentators. So it's funny.

CarrieMpls said:

What's the score? Oh my god, I'm just distraught. I didn't mind having the Thai commentary yesterday. Just having the games was good enough. They had these two pundits mulling over the game today just 10 minutes before kick-off so I figured they were going to show it, but then all channels switched to the news.

Ok, they're showing it now.

I'm still angry I missed 25 minutes though. Someone's going to pay for this!

Fauxie said:

It's 1:0 England.

And I just discovered it's actually on network tv here. But I think I like the spanish-speakimg commentators better. They get way more excited about it.

Fauxie said:

CarrieMpls said:

The Thai commentary isn't nearly as amusing, I'm sure.

CarrieMpls said:

The referee is mental! He's giving nothing to Crouch just because he's a bit lanky! What was Gerrard's booking for?! Anyway, come on England!

i'm so excited!!! that goal was AWESOME!!!

JDINTERACTIVE said:

i saw that too. stupid ref!!

Fauxie said:

When someone scores they scream GOL! GOL! GOL! GOL! over and over and over.

It makes it very exciting.

CarrieMpls said:

yeah, the ABC commentators are boring. they were going on and on about beckham's fame after he made that goal.

fantasyislander said:

They just called Crouch a skyscraper.

Wow, that was a pretty lacklustre performance from England. They just didn't have any life about them and the defense looked casual and sloppy. I guess I should be happy that we got the win, but damn if that second half wasn't dreadful. It looked like the players were just trying to play out time. Crouch and Owen didn't click and when Owen was taken off that didn't leave many options attacking-wise. Still, we got the win, so a decent start.

I noticed the lack of free kicks given for fouls on Crouch too. Ref was picky in some cases, but then missed obvious fouls.

fantasyislander said:

i thought it was an own goal?

IrresistibleB1tch said:

sorry... you know what i mean.

Fauxie said:

What I hate, is that after the match the manager and player go on about how 'getting the 3 points is the most important thing'. This mentality is exactly why England do so poorly in these competitions. It is not the most important thing. The most important thing is to play dominantly against weaker teams thus striking fear into the hearts of any team that will have to face us.

This is what Brazil does - even before anybody plays them they are scared because Brazil always ensure they have a fearsome attacking reputation. It puts the opposition on a backfoot before they even start. This pychological warfare seems lost on the English team, who make excuses (it's hot?! It's only bloody Germany, not the Sahara or anything!) barely hang onto a 1 goal lead and then make out they did okayish. This attitude just encourages weaker teams to think they have a chance against us and bring it on.

The more mediocre performances England put on, the more opposing teams will think they have a chance against us.

fantasyislander said:

of course!

i was mad because i missed the first half (slept in for once), and after watching some of the game, i was mad i didn't sleep longer...

IrresistibleB1tch said:

sorry. i watched the whole thing!! and i loved it!! i'm so psyched!! i'm going to watch sweden vs trinidad and tobago in a few minutes.

fantasyislander said:

i'm going to watch it, too. hope it's a better game than the other one!

OH MY GOD!!! THAT WAS AN AWESOME GAME!!

trinidad played very well. sorry england, but that game was way more exciting.


yay trinidad!! they were so happy just to get a draw!!

fantasyislander said:

great game! ya gotta love the underdog!