Nelson Motta
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Bogota - The Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, affirmed that Colombia is a "key country" in the integration of South America. Amorim is representing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a visit to Colombia. "The South American Community would not be a reality, if Colombia had not entered this agreement with the Mercosur in the trade sphere," he remarked.

According to the Brazilian Chancellor, "Colombia has potential in the field of petrochemicals, lubricants, and coal-related products. Our goal is to export more. But we also want to co-produce other things with them, such as ethanol, and at the same time import, in order for trade to maintain a reasonable balance."

The Minister said that he will inform the Colombian President, Álvaro Uribe, and the Chancellor, Carolina Barco, of Brazil's interest in acting as political intermediary, whenever this is necessary. "We obviously don't want to interfere. In the past, when it seemed that some type of negotiation was going on between the FARCs and the Colombian government, we offered Brazil as a neutral ground."

Translation: David Silberstein