Brasília, September 19, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva assured the leaders of the government's allied support base that, if need be, he will open the doors of the Planalto Palace to negotiate approval of the reforms with the opposition. According to the Senators who attended the meeting, which last over an hour, with the President in the Planalto Palace, the opening of a channel of dialogue with the opposition is mainly intended to avoid criticisms that the government might use a "steam-roller" to obtain approval of the reforms in the Senate, as it was alleged to have done in the Chamber. "It is not our intention to form a steam-roller to crush the opposition," said Senator Romero Jucá (PMDB-RR).

The President's concern over approving the reforms is so great that, according to some of the leaders who participated in the meeting, he does not rule out the possibility of convoking a special session of the National Congress, as he did in July, when the proposals were being discussed in the Chamber of Deputies. "He is working on this possibility," said one of the leaders. According to the Senators, Lula considers that Brazil made great progress during the first eight months of the new Administration, but, if the reforms are not approved, the country will return to the starting gate. (DAS)