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Belarus, Brazil to set up economic cooperation commission, exchange embassies

Belarus would like its cooperation with Brazil to be dealt with at the federal level, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said while meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro on March 22, BelaPAN said.

"We would like you to give an order to your government and ministers so that they will take an interested approach to our proposals and we’ll find common ground at the federal level," the Belarusian leader’s press office quoted him as saying at the meeting.

Belarus can see many cooperation opportunities in Brazil, especially considering the fact that the country has adopted an agriculture development program, Mr. Lukashenka said, according to the press office.

The meeting allowed the presidents to identify priority areas of cooperation, the press office said.

Brazil prioritizes projects aimed at developing large-scale agricultural production and therefore the country is interested in establishing joint venture companies to assemble tractors and other farm machinery and in importing such machinery, the press office said.

A "serious interest" was expressed during the meeting in the import of BelAZ mining dump trucks, the press office said.

Brazil wants Belarus to continue supplying it with potash, according to the press office. "Our country already controls one-third of Brazil's potash market and this cooperation will be continued," the press office said.

An agreement was reached to set up a commission for bilateral trade and economic cooperation, which will hold its first meeting in Minsk.

The Brazilian president welcomed Mr. Lukashenka's announcement that Belarus would open an embassy in Brazil, and said that Brazil would also open an embassy in Minsk.

Mr. Lukashenka confirmed that he would visit Rio de Janeiro in May to participate in the UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum, which will be held for the first time outside the European-Mediterranean region.

Messrs. Lukashenka and Lula de Silva also agreed that the two countries would soon start talks on agreements on economic, trade, agricultural and investment cooperation, as well as on cooperation in science and technologies, culture, education, sports and tourism.

Messrs. Lukashenka and Lula de Silva welcomed the establishment of a joint venture company to manufacture Belarusian farm machinery in the state of Goias. The Brazilian president noted that his country was interested in increasing and diversifying the export of food, including soy beans and meat, to Belarus, and stepping up trade in fertilizers.

The heads of state confirmed the interest of their countries in cooperation to enhance their energy security and make use of alternative and renewable energy sources. They agreed that the two countries would develop cooperation in the production of biofuels, using Brazil's achievements in manufacturing ethanol and biodiesel fuel.

Messrs. Lukashenka and Lula de Silva hailed all efforts aimed at speeding up the recovery of the global economy from the crisis and emphasized the importance of the consolidation of the G20 group of leading nations as a key forum for international financial and economic cooperation. They also confirmed their support for a "multilateral trade system."