Brazil, France Envisage
Big Defense Pact
France and Brazil
announced a commitment
on Tuesday to signing a
big arms deal by the end
of 2008, news reports
said.
French President Nicolas
Sarkozy and his
Brazilian counterpart,
Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, met in French
Guiana for closed talks
before declaring they
wanted to forge a
"strategic alliance"
accord this year.
The agreement includes a
technology transfer that
will enable the building
of a Scorpene submarine,
ground attack aircraft
and helicopters in the
South American country
bordering the overseas
French state.
The construction of a
Scorpene submarine, a
conventional attack sub,
would allow Brazil to
take another step in the
development of nuclear
submarines. Brazilian
officials have said they
want the Scorpene sub to
serve as a model.
Sarkozy said France is
ready to pass Brazil
"not just military
materials" and that
Brazil will be treated
with transparency in the
process.
"There are no taboos.
Brazil is a force for
democracy and a friend
of France," Sarkozy said
at a press conference.
"We French are
transparent with our
friends and our two
nations are disposed to
work for peace."
The Brazilian government
late last year announced
a Strategic National
Defense Plan to reequip
the nation's armed
forces and develop a
national defense
industry with its own
technology.
The two leaders also
discussed the case of
Colombian hostages held
by the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), as the most
famous captive,
Colombia's former
presidential candidate
Ingrid Betancourt, also
has French citizenship.
"We want a humanitarian
action to allow us to
get the release of all
the hostages of FARC.
But any agreement must
be made with the consent
of Colombia's
government," said Lula.
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