Prague - Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited the Czech Republic with his presidential delegation on Saturday to meet his Czech counterpart Václav Klaus.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg and head of Brazilian diplomatic service in Prague Celso Amorim have signed a general agreement on economic cooperation that is to replace the older version from 1994.
"Although I am a relatively experienced politician, I believe that I have never discussed such details during a presidential visit as today with Mr. Lula," said Klaus to journalists at a press conference.
"I consider this visit an extraordinary success," added Klaus.
"New Brazil"
Brazil is Prague's main economic partner in Latin America, but it is for the first time the Czech Republic is officially visited by a Brazilian head of state.
Václav Klaus has already visited Brazil, as the Prime Minister in 1994. Klaus´s predecessor Václav Havel visited Brazil too, in 1996.
"The Brazil that Mr. President visited in 1994 was a completely different Brazil than it is now," assured Lula during his visit, adding that both countries should maintain closer relations on governmental level.
"Our ministers need to communicate more with each other, as well as our entrepreneurs," said Lula.
Previous year, the barter between the two countries equaled to 335 million USD. According to Lula, there is still a potential for increase.
Sightseeing
Lula concluded his session with the journalists light-heartedly, expressing his hope that the Czech football team will qualify to the World Cup in 2014 organized by Brazil.
"I hope you will be equally lucky as you were in 1962 in Chile. It would be great if there were the final match between Brazil and the Czech Republic," said Lula, referring to the final game of the 1962 World Cup when Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3:1.
After the official meetings were concluded, the Brazilian president turned into a Brazilian tourist and visited the Strahov Monastery and the Church of the Virgin Mary Victorious where is located a copy of a statue of the patron saint of Brazil - Our Lady of Aparecida.
During his visit, president Lula´s entourage consisted of Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim, Minister for Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Miguel Jorge and secretary general Luiz Dulci.
