February 10, 2005
Brazil, Venezuela to establish 'pragmatic alliance' in economic area

(Brazilian news agency Estado, reproduced by BBC Monitoring Americas) - "Brazil and Venezuela plan to establish a 'pragmatic alliance' in priority areas of the two countries' economies - infrastructure, mining, iron and steel production, telecommunications, trade, science and technology, and agrarian development, among others - during President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's lightning visit to his counterpart, Hugo Chávez, on 14 February.

On 11 February, at the Foreign Ministry, ministers from the two countries will attend the Eighth Meeting of the Binational Brazil-Venezuela High-Level Commission with the goal of finalizing the projects that are to be signed, as well as an accord to prevent the double taxation of individuals and corporations that operate in both countries (...)".