RAMALLAH, March 17, 2010(WAFA)- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in press conference with President Mahmoud Abbas, 'I dream of an independent and free Palestine living in peace in the Middle East.'
Silva, said, 'I believe the Palestinians and Israelis are going to share the land of their forefathers,' adding he would like to play a larger role in Mideast diplomacy.
stood firm on his demand that Israel freeze all settlement construction - including in East Jerusalem.
'While the Palestinians had implemented their obligations under interim agreements, Israel should do the same,' President Abbas told the reported.
'The most important in these is freezing settlement activities in all the Palestinian areas, including Jerusalem,' he said.
Da Silva laid earlier a wreath of flowers on the tomb of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. He also inaugurated with Prime Minster Salam Fayad the Brazil Street next to tomb of Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.
Silva arrived to Bethlehem on Tuesday for a tour of the Biblical city and talks with President Abbas.
In Ramallah, under the patronage of the two Presidents, five bilateral agreements were signed covering the fields of agriculture, education, sports, health and tourism.
Brazilian president and his Development, Industry and Foreign Trade minister Miguel Jorge announced in the Middle East that Brazil and Argentina have already agreed to negotiate a free trade agreement between the Mercosur and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
'The conclusion of an association agreement with the Mercosur may contribute much to making South America a frontier for Palestinian products,' said Lula. 'An agreement proposal has already been established between the Mercosur and Palestine. Argentina has accepted and from the information I have, Uruguay and Paraguay are about to accept,' stated Jorge.
Among the Brazilian companies present were construction companies Camargo Correa, OAS, Andrade Gutierrez and Queiroz Galvão, the Rosset group, which owns lingerie brand Valisère, Suzano, of pulp and paper, Mineração Guidoni, in the mining sector, the Sindirochas – the stone industries union -, as well as state-owned companies Eletrobrás (electricity), the National Institute of Information Technology and Serpro, the federal data processing service, the two latter in the IT sector.
PM Fayyad said that, Palestine aims to expand its relations with Brazil and one of the ways to do so is through business. Lula added: 'We cannot wait for the buyer or seller to walk past our door; we have to run after him.'
Brazilian businessman Fernando de Arruda Botelho, a shareholder at Camargo Correa construction company, one of the largest in Brazil, said that companies in the country could hire engineers and other professionals from Palestine.
'Four building companies are present here and we have a problem of lack of labor in Brazil,' said Botelho, during the Brazil-Palestine Business Seminar.
Apart from Camargo Correa, also present were Andrade Gutierrez, OAS and Queiroz Galvão. 'Camargo is ready to do that (hiring Palestinians),' said Botelho. 'The building industry is going to boom this year,' he added. The sector is living a boom in Brazil and the market is lacking specialized professionals, and companies are being obliged to import labor.
According to Botelho, the companies need people not just for works in Brazil, but also for other countries, especially Africa. One of the main problems of Palestine is unemployment, including professionals with higher education. 'Good professionals can get a job,' he said.
Minister of Economics Hassan Abu Libdeh, said that it is an 'excellent proposal' that 'may be a great contribution of Brazilian industry to the Palestinian cause'.
'It is an excellent idea to reduce unemployment,' he said. 'We have many engineers here who have no jobs,' he added.
The minister pointed out that the PNA and the government of Brazil should discuss the matter to establish an agreement establishing that the workers go to Brazil and then return to Palestine. He wants the Palestinians to bring back to the country the experience acquired abroad.
