Lebanon supports the Arab- Latin summit; Lula in Beirut: Cooperation agreements
Lebanon-Brazil, Politics, 12/5/2003

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva started yesterday the first visit of a Brazilian official at this level to Lebanon in more than 130 years. He held talks with the Lebanese President Emil Lahoud and held work meetings with speaker of parliament Nabih Berri and the prime minister Rafic Hariri.

Several agreements were signed between the two countries, and the speeches delivered on this occasion stressed solidarity and the attempt to develop relations. An invitation was extended to President Lahoud to visit Brazil and Lahoud promised to fulfill the visit in February.

President Lahoud stressed Lebanon's care to develop the Lebanese- Brazilian historical relations, and his support for a summit bringing together the Arab states with the countries of Latin America. He described the proposal of President of Brazil to this effect as "an important step towards economic and cultural cooperation and integration between the Arab states and the countries of Latin America which host groups of descendants of Arab origin."

President Lula underlined the importance of the agreement of founding a Lebanese- Brazilian higher committee which will create an important mechanism in addition to periodical meetings between the Lebanese and Brazilian sides.

President Lahoud appreciated the position adopted by Brazil, in rejecting the American allegations to that a group of the Lebanese community in Brazil finance terrorist acts in the Middle East. He also voiced appreciation for the implementation of UN resolution 425, and to Lebanon's right to benefiting from its water, and its readiness to place its expertise in this regard at Lebanon's disposal.

The President of Brazil underlined the importance of Lebanon for Brazil and the Brazilian people. He commended the great role played by the Lebanese community in Brazil; a community which contributed to building current Brazil. He urged the reinforcement of bilateral historical relations. He disclosed that talks will start by the beginning of next year to give a push forward to relations in several area, especially in the fields of tourism, electricity, the infrastructure, as well as renewing airline travel between the two countries.

The President of Brazil also explained that the Brazilian authorities started actually taking necessary measures to facilitate giving the Lebanese visas to visit Brazil.

Concerning developments in the region, the President of Brazil called for giving priority to the UN, to play its due role in achieving peace and international cooperation, and to the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East region. He also stressed the need of restoring back normal life to Iraq, and giving the Iraqi people the right to self- determination.

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