Mylena Fiori
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, who is on a state visit to Brazil, declared yesterday in Brasilia that her country will support a permanent UN Security Council seat for Brazil. In a speech following a meeting with president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, she went on to highlight the importance of strengthening bilateral ties between nations she said had so much in common.

"Brazil and Chile share a Latin American identity and many fundamental principles. Especially a belief in democracy and liberty and a strong commitment to human rights. We are firmly in favor of reducing poverty, and social inequality and exclusion," she declared.

Bachelet also referred to regional efforts at integration and development, for example in the area of energy, within the framework of the South American Community of Nations (Casa) which she called historical and ambitious, but achievable.

The president of Chile said that in international trade negotiations the two countries were engaged in a high level of cooperation within the G-20. And she concluded by saying that Brazil and Chile should continue to assist the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti. "The recently elected president of Haiti, Preval, needs help. He has requested our help and we will give it to him," she said.