Carolina Pimentel
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The vice-president and minister of Defense, José Alencar, received the minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, Mohamed Benaissa, today (20), in Brasília.

According to a note issued by the ministry of Foreign Relations, Brazil and Morocco enjoy a "good political understanding." Morocco was in favor of holding the South America-Arab Countries Summit in Brasília, in March, 2005, and, according to the note, is interested in hosting the second meeting, in 2008.

Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to US$ 725.4 million last year. The balance favored Brazil by US$ 102.7 million. Brazil exported US$ 414 million to Morocco, 76% more than in 2002, while Brazilian imports from Morocco rose from US$ 146.4 million in 2002 to US$ 311.3 million in 2005.

Translation: David Silberstein