Paris (France), January 28, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and French President Jacques Chirac conceded an interview to Brazilian and French journalists to comment on their meeting, which was followed by a working lunch. President Lula pointed out that Brazil still has a long way to go to consolidate its international relations, but he said that agreement currently exists, on both the French and the Brazilian side, to intensify economic, cultural, and political relations. "I am convinced that during our four-year mandate, we shall make an uncommon effort to transform our sentimental relation with France into a more daring economic, political, and cultural relationship," Lula emphasized.

According to Jacques Chirac, the two countries already have pre-existing political relations in exchanges among the various areas. He said that he was very pleased with Lula's speeches at the World Social Forum and the Economic Forum at Davos, in Switzerland, and he stressed that he has "enormous confidence" in President Lula's administration. "Brazil can count on French support," he emphasized. (DAS)