MOSCOW. Jan 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The rapid growth of Russian- Brazilian trade "is just the beginning," President Vladimir Putin has said.
It is necessary to upgrade the trade structure, Putin said while signing documents of the Russian-Brazilian summit. He drew attention to such spheres as the aerospace and telecom industries, atomic energy, the energy industry in general and metallurgy.
Putin said that Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and he discussed cooperation in agriculture and prospects for Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization.
"Relations between Russia and Brazil have a great future, and we hope for the implementation of the agreements reached at the summit," Putin stressed.
The negotiations resulted in the signing of a joint statement, a protocol on the exchange of instruments of ratification of the Partnership Treaty, an agreement on extradition and cooperation in the fight against international terrorism and organized crime, an intergovernmental program of exchanges in culture, education and sports for 2002-2003, and a number of other documents.
The joint statement expresses the satisfaction of the two presidents with "the high level and dynamic development of relations between Russia and Brazil and the consistent development of the bilateral dialog."
Putin and Cardoso stressed the need to boost trade, economic, investment, scientific and technical cooperation, and said it was especially important to develop cooperation in hi- tech spheres. They positively assessed the results of the intergovernmental commission and lauded the activities of the political commission.
When considering military-technical cooperation, they agreed on the earliest possible signing of an intergovernmental memorandum on hi-tech cooperation.
The presidents confirmed the striving of their countries for greater interaction on the international scene, first and foremost in the United Nations, on the basis of the UN Charter and principles. They said they were ready for constructive cooperation in strengthening the central role of the UN and its Security Council.
The participants in the negotiations lauded the signing of a bilateral declaration on the fight against terrorism late last year and confirmed the determination of Russia and Brazil to cooperate actively in the anti-terrorist fight.
They stressed the importance of punishing persons guilty of terrorist acts and freezing the financing of terrorists.
Russia and Brazil called for making the globalization process more harmonious and just in order to lay the foundation of a new world order "that would minimize the asymmetric nature that is still characteristic of international relations."