Carolina Pimentel
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - To mark the State visit by the president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, the Brazilian and Chilean governments signed cooperation agreements today (11) in the areas of energy and environment

The first agreement provides for the creation of a permanent joint commission to establish an energy and mining cooperation program between the two countries. "The initiative is part of a broader project to ensure the regional energy supply required for us to continue growing in an accelerated way to renew our productive structures and deal with the large social debt we still have," said president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was accompanied by Bachelet after the signing of the agreement in the Planalto Palace.

Bachelet declared that Chile is "completely prepared" to collaborate with regional initiatives in this direction. "Why not think on a grand scale and speak openly of a regional energy market," she said. In her view, the commission will permit the exchange of experiences in biofuel production, which is a sector that interests the Chileans.

The two governments also defined rules for Brazilians interested in living in Chile and vice-versa. The intention is to resolve the illegal situation of citizens of both countries and facilitate the movement of people. According to Lula, this agreement reinforces the ties between Chile and the Mercosur.

Translation: David Silberstein