Argentina president appeals for unity

The Argentine president, Fernando de la Rua, has appealed for national unity to help overcome the country's deep economic recession.

During a speech to mark independence from Spain, Mr de la Rua said that Argentina was a distressed nation and warned that there would be no miraculous return to growth.

He said Argentina's problems stemmed from chronic over-spending and called for further cuts to help reduce the budget deficit.

Correspondents say in recent weeks Mr de la Rua's position has looked increasingly fragile following continued social unrest, uncertainty on the financial markets and persistent rumours about his future.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service