Rio, March 26, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Brazilian Ambassador to France, Sérgio Amaral, expressed his confidence that negotiations between the Mercosur and the European Union (EU) will result in the signing of an agreement between the two economic blocs by June of this year.

Of the three major negotiations in which Brazil is engaged -- the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and the Mercosur/European Union -- that which has made the most rapid progress in recent months is the one between the Mercosur and the EU, the Ambassador affirmed.

Amaral believes that in the new round of proposals scheduled for April 15, more successes will be chalked up. He observed that the topics that are the focus of greatest demand on the part of the two blocs are, on the Mercosur's side, agriculture, and on the European side, services. "These are the two themes that will allow us to have a good agreement," he said. In other sectors, Amaral informed that the progress that has already been achieved is quite reasonable.

Translator: David Silberstein