Brasília, November 21, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazil has as a target, for the next four years, the expansion of bilateral trade with the United States to US$ 60 billion, and, in eight years, to US$ 100 billion. This information was provided today by the PT's secretary of International Relations, federal deputy and senator-elect Aloízio Mercadante, after a meeting with the United States government's Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America, Otto Reich.

According to Mercadante, president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was present at the beginning of the meeting, said that the new administration intends to augment bilateral trade and open more markets for Brazil, in order to assure the country's economic development, generate more jobs, and aggregate foreign exchange.

"We can offer a positive agenda and receive a positive agenda in return. Now we have to work more, export more, sell more, and intensify our trade relations," he affirmed. (DAS)