Brasília, January 20, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should announce changes in his Cabinet by Thursday (22). The President's intention is to announce the Ministerial reform prior to his departure for India at the end of the week. Lula will spend the next few days making the final arrangements for the reform. Yesterday (19) morning the President met with the government's political coordination team, composed of the Ministers of the Presidential Civilian Advisory Staff, José Dirceu, the General Secretariat of the President, Luiz Dulci, and the Secretariat of Communications, Luiz Gushiken, as well as the government leader in the Senate, Aloízio Mercadante.

The only official appointment on the President's agenda yesterday was a meeting with the European Union's Commissioner of Foreign Relations, Christopher Patten, who is in Brazil on a visit. The Commissioner expressed optimism over the possibility of reaching an agreement this year on the Mercosur-European Union Bi-Regional Association. As well as bringing the two regions closer economically, the agreement proposes to increase social and political relations among the countries of the Mercosur and the European Union. (DAS)