Brazil, Costa Rica Call
For Latin American Unity
To Face Global Crisis
Brazil and Costa Rica
have urged Latin
American countries to
unite in the face of the
global financial and
food crisis.
"Latin American unity is
now essential to face
the financial crisis in
the developed
countries," Brazilian
President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva said here
Wednesday following a
meeting with visiting
Costa Rican President
Oscar Arias.
He said he will meet in
September with experts
from the Common Market
of the South (Mercosur)
and the Central American
Integration System (Sica)
to reach a trade
agreement.
Arias said "there is no
better moment" to
advance negotiations on
the Latin American
blocs, which began more
than five years ago but
have not made any
concrete achievements
yet.
"Latin American
challenges unite us in
the fight against
poverty, inequality and
insecurity," he added.
A bilateral agreement on
bio-fuel cooperation was
signed at the meeting.
Arias is scheduled to
travel to Sao Paulo on
Thursday to attend a
business forum and visit
an ethanol manufacturing
plant, followed by a
meeting with former
Brazilian President
Fernando Henrique
Cardoso.
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