Brasília, November 19, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Vice-president-elect José Alencar Gomes da Silva agreed today with president Fernando Henrique Cardoso's affirmation that the implantation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) can be positive for Brazil, provided that the country negotiates free trade in a constructive manner.

During a luncheon with participants in the Parliamentary Summit on Continental Integration, Cardoso reinforced the thesis that the FTAA is a challenge to be met by Brazil. "For some, the FTAA is a demon. For others, heaven. For us, neither one thing, nor the other. Nor is it purgatory. It is something positive, depending upon how we confront this negotiation, with a constructive spirit, in defense of national interests. This is why it is indispensable," the president emphasized. (DAS)