London, July 14, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - During the Progressive Governance Summit that ended today, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presented the leaders of 14 countries with the reform proposals that are underway in Brazil. British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, commended them. "They are consistent and follow the principles of Progressive Governance," he affirmed.

Participating in the meeting were the heads of State or Government from the United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Ethiopia, Poland, Germany, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Romania, Hungry, the Czech Republic, and Brazil.

Blair said that the gathering is important for bringing together people from different places, with different problems , to try to discover solutions to similar issues: economic efficiency, fiscal discipline, the battle against corruption, and the guarantee of social justice. "We discussed the importance of giving developing countries access to markets. We are committed to easing free trade and finding partnership mechanisms," he said.

President Lula said he was happy to have taken part in the gathering. When asked whether his participation in the Forum wasn't contradictory, in terms of the political position he defends and his criticisms of ex-President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, he replied: "I was invited to participate in this Forum with the certainty we had something to say. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso did not leave Brazil in a delicate position as a result of participating in this Forum, but, rather, because I think he believed in things he shouldn't have. And this should not stop other presidents from participating in all the International Forums to which they are invited," Lula said.

The first Progressive Governance Summit was held in 1997 to bring together center-left leaders from all over the world. "The idea is to establish closer relations between governments and the private sector: leading the private sector to act with the public spirit of the State and the State to operate with the efficiency of the private sector," Blair explained. (DAS)