South American, Arab FMs discuss cooperation before summit
Foreign ministers from South American and Arab countries gathered here Monday to make final preparations for a South American-Arab summit slated for Tuesday and Wednesday, while a business seminar opened in an effort to boost trade ties between the two regions.

During the meeting, the foreign ministers prepared a draft declaration for the summit, which deals with anti-terrorism and Middle East issues among others.

In the draft declaration leaked to the press, Israel is urged to withdraw to its borders before the 1967 Middle East war and dismantle Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories, including "those in East Jerusalem."

The draft also condemns terrorism and pledges efforts to combat it through international cooperation.

The document criticizes US economic sanctions against Syria and denounces terrorism while asserting the right of people "to resist foreign occupation ... in compliance with international law."

In the meeting, the foreign ministers also committed themselves to boosting trade links between the two regions.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said the meeting was not against Israel, which he will visit to brief Israeli officials on the meeting.

The summit was proposed by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lulada Silva in December 2003 during his visit to the Middle East.

Before the opening of the foreign ministers' meeting, a business seminar of Arab and South American entrepreneurs was opened.

Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade Luiz Fernando Furlan said at the opening ceremony that Brazil aimsto double bilateral trade with Arab nations from 8.1 billion US dollars to 15 billion dollars in three years.

"The aim can be easily achieved even without structural reforms in the foreign export sector," Furlan said, adding that tourism and engineering are priority fields for bilateral cooperation in the short term.

There is no direct flight between the two regions and transportation must be via Europe or North America.

David Fleischer, professor of politics at Brazilian University, called for direct flights, saying such flights would reduce the cost of bilateral trade and strengthen ties between the two regions.

Also on Monday, a Brazilian official said the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will sign an agreement at the summit to pave the way for negotiations on forming a free trade zone.

Mercosur groups Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay while the GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the Untied Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.