Agência Brasil

Brasília - The joint declaration of the 4th Meeting of the Brazil-Russia High Level Cooperation Commission, released yesterday (4) by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations, highlights Russia's decision to suspend its embargo on imports of beef from the state of Rio Grande do Sul and chicken.

The declaration, signed by the vice-president of Brazil, José Alencar, and the president of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Fradkov, expresses a "desire to expand and diversify the bilateral trade portfolio and increase the participation of high value-added goods."

In the communiqué they reiterate the importance of their technical alliance in the sphere of science and technology. After spotlighting the progress achieved in the fields of economics and trade, agriculture, science and technology, and culture and sports, the declaration points to the significant advances registered in the sectors of aviation, space, banking, and energy and the two countries' willingness to intensify cooperation in the military-technical and defense areas.

Mention is also made of the Brazilian-Russian space program, including the participation of the Brazilian cosmonaut, Marcos César Pontes, in a mission to the International Space Station. The declaration refers, as well, to the visit to Moscow scheduled for May by the president of the Brazilian Central Bank. A memorandum of understanding between the Brazilian Central Bank and the Bank of Russia is expected to be signed during this visit.

The joint declaration lists the agreements signed by Alencar and Fradkov in the areas of metrology, economic security, and diplomacy and proposes that the next meeting of the Commission be held in Moscow in 2007.

Translation: David Silberstein