Brasília, September 4, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will open the debates at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UN). This information was provided today by Brazil's Ambassador to the UN, Ronaldo Sardenberg, who visited the Planalto Palace to define the participation of the Brazilian delegation at the General Assembly meeting. The Brazilian delegation will travel to New York on September 21-22. Sardenberg said that there is great interest on the part of the international community in Brazil's participation in the conference, "especially when it comes to the program to combat poverty and hunger."

According to Sardenberg, a series of Presidential encounters are being negotiated. Around 90 heads of state will attend the UN General Assembly meeting. According to Sardenberg, negotiations over the encounters are still being defined. (DAS)