Agência Brasil* Brasília – An agreement between Brazil and Lebanon to combat production, consumption and trafficking of psychotropic substances becomes effective as of today (14th). The cooperation pact, which had been defined in 2003 by the governments of the two countries, also provides for stricter supervision of financial transactions. The scope and principles of the
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Diplomats in South American and Arab countries will engage in a series of activities to prepare for the summit of the two regions, to be held in Doha, in the second half this year. The event was one of the subjects discussed during a meeting of Arab foreign ministers last week in Egypt.
The Arab country sent to the secretariat of the Mercosur, at the end of last year, a request for a framework agreement with the South American bloc, which includes Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. The Mercosur is gong to start talks for a treaty with another Arab country, Morocco, in April, during a meeting in Rabat.
The matter deserved special attention in the final declaration of the meeting of foreign ministers of both regions, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, in Buenos Aires. The document forecasts the creation of bi-regional mechanisms for the exchange of experience and cooperation in the area.
Relations between the Arab and South American countries have progressed since the summit between both regions, in 2005, but they may still grow. This was one of the themes of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of both regions, which began yesterday, in Buenos Aires. Cooperation in the area of energy and joint efforts for peace in Palestine were among the pleas.
Both countries signed a document establishing mechanisms for political consultation. In practice, the governments of Brazil and Palestine should promote periodic meetings to discuss themes of common interest. The agreement was signed yesterday during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Brazil, Celso Amorim, to Ramallah as part of his tour of the Middle East.
Next week, on February 20 and 21, the Foreign Ministers of Arab and South American countries should meet in the Argentine capital. They are going to discuss plans for joint action between both regions, as well as preparing the next summit, to take place in Qatar this year.
The president of Brazil sent the invitation to several Arab leaders through Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who is currently touring the Middle East. The president of Syria, Bashar Al-Assad, has already agreed to visit Brazil and the king of Jordan, Abdullah II, with whom Amorim met yesterday, stated he hopes to be able to visit the country.
The minister of Foreign Relations of Brazil, Celso Amorim, was received by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel-Aziz Al-Saud over the weekend and by Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad, yesterday. The Brazilian minister is currently on a tour of the Middle East. With the Saudi monarch, agreements and partnerships were negotiated. The meeting with Al-Assad had as its main theme the peace process in the Middle East.
Egypt is going to start implementing a pilot social program in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Cairo, Ain El Sira. Part of the project will be inspired on social activities promoted by the government of Brazil. Representatives of the Ministry of Social Development were in the Arab country to present the Brazilian experience.
The Brazilian Foreign Minister should be in the region starting tomorrow and should visit Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Israel. The objective, according to the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty), is to strengthen the Brazilian presence in the economic and diplomatic areas. Meetings are scheduled with heads of state and government.
This year the tariffs on industrial products traded between the Arab country and the European Union have been eliminated. The elimination of tariffs on agricultural products and services is also being negotiated. According to the ambassador of Tunisia to Brazilian capital Brasília, Seifeddine Cherif, these advances may benefit Brazilian exports. The association treaty was enacted 12 years ago.
