Port-au-Prince (Haiti), July 8, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - "Stability requires a parallel effort to rebuild the Haitian economy," José Viegas, the Brazilian Minister of Defense, recognized, yesterday (7) during a meeting with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Gerard Latortue, who, since the beginning of June, has been accomodating the first United Nations peace mission coordinated by Brazil.

"We can (back Haiti). Especially if we are able to mobilize the international community to contribute a sufficient amount of money for investments in the Haitian economy," Viegas said.

At the encounter, Latortue made concrete suggestions for Brazilian economic cooperation. Viegas commended the Prime Minister's ideas, which he considered creative and viable. "Why not do it? The investment is minimal," Viegas affirmed, referring to the idea of backing family agribusinesses, such as manioc flour mills and fruit juice or guava paste processing plants.

"What impresses me about the Prime Minister's utterance is that we are not talking about anything grandiose, about large investments. A campaign to generate employment in rural areas is where it is easiest for us to offer our support."

Viegas was accompanied at the meeting with the Haitian Prime Minister by the Ministers of Defense of Chile, Michelli Jeria, and Uruguay, Yamandu Fau, to whom Latortue addressed similar requests. "In Brazil, there will certainly be people in government and civil society circles receptive to these ideas," Viegas said, referring once more to Latortue's suggestions.

The meeting was part of an official visit to Haiti by the Ministers to review their respective countries' troop contingents that make up the UN peace mission. The current objective of the mission is to help maintain order and security in the country, which was the scene of conflicts until February, when rebel forces deposed the President at that time, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Reporter: Spensy Pimentel (Special correspondent in Haiti)
Translator: David Silberstein