Brasília, March 9, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Lula opened the 7th Brazil-Portugal Summit Meeting, yesterday (8), with emphasis on the issue of immigration between the two countries, the subject of an agreement signed on the occasion. "No theme better expresses the complexity of the challenges we face and, at the same time, the maturity we have already achieved than the situation of Brazilians who live in Portugal and Portuguese who live in Brazil," he underscored.
Lula said that he is awaiting concrete suggestions from the subcommission on economic, financial, and trade affairs between the two countries to improve collaboration and trade between Portugal and Brazil. The commission met for the first time last week. "Portuguese and Brazilian entrepreneurs have been reviving our relations with pioneering spirit. There are huge prospects in the areas of trade and investments," the President declared. In his view, Portugal placed a "bet" on the Brazilian economy, since half of the foreign investments made by Portugal in the past decade have been in Brazil. "They currently amount to US$ 10 billion, and reasons for them to expand are not wanting, since Brazil and the Mercosur provide a privileged port of entry for Portuguese capital to participate in infrastructure projects for the integration of South America," encouraged the President.
Lula also spoke of the importance for both countries to continue to bring peace to nations with which they share history and culture. "The consolidation of independence in East Timor, the victory of democracy in San Tomé and Principe, and the national reconciliation in Guinea Bissau are proof of what we can achieve," the President concluded.
Portugal is the only European country with which Brazil maintains regular meetings between heads of government, the so-called "summits." For the Portuguese Prime Minister, Durão Barroso, relations between Portugal and Brazil can be strengthened in the commercial area on the basis of investment exchanges between the two countries. Durão Barroso affirmed that, for this to occur, it is necessary to guarantee stability in the legislative sphere and political decisions, to bolster confidence for Portuguese investments in Brazil and Brazilian investments in Portugal.
"As is known, the European Union will be the biggest market in the world in the years to come, with around 450 million consumers. Brazil can count on Portugal as a privileged market space for Brazilian companies, and, for my part, I shall keep working to increase the interest of Portuguese entrepreneurs, to give concrete demonstrations of our interest and confidence in the future of this great nation, Brazil," Durão Barroso declared.
The Portuguese Prime Minister also said that Portugal backs Brazil's decision to move ahead in the agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur and that the two nations can be proud nowadays of the progress made by the Portuguese-speaking countries that belong to the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP). (DAS)
