Brasília, 12/23/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The director-general of Commercial Promotion at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Mário Vilalva, says that the balance sheet on foreign trade in 2003 shows that the country's trade strategy was a success.

Pointing out that it is important to diversify, Vilalva called president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's trips to Africa and the Middle East an important part of that strategy, even though Brazil's commerce with those parts of the world is small.

Itamaraty is presently studying the country's logistical problems in foreign trade, mainly with Arab countries. The idea, says Vilalva, is to move ahead to further successes. (AB)