Brasília, 3/20/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The 15,000 to 20,000 Brazilians who reside in the Middle East will have total support from the government if they wish to return to Brazil, reports minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim. Two Brazilian Air Force planes are ready to bring them home. It is estimated that between 200 and 500 Brazilians may decide to leave the Middle East.

According to Amorim, so far few Brazilians in the MIddle East have expressed a desire to return to Brazil, with the exception of a group of women in Turkey. (AB)