Russia says to share space technology with Brazil

Brasilia (Brazil), Dec 15: Russia has agreed to provide Brazil with rocket fuel and space technology as part of a broader effort to increase political ties and trade in products including aircraft and beef.

Two of the world's largest emerging economies, Russia and Brazil aim to boost bilateral trade to 10 billion dollar by 2010 from 4 billion dollar now, the foreign ministers of the two nations told reporters after a meeting.

Yesterday's agreement should help Brazil put satellites in space more safely after an explosion at its Alcantara launching pad at the edge of the Amazon jungle killed 21 people in 2004.

Brazil is also nearing a deal to buy Russian helicopters, said Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim. He could not confirm that the deal would cover 30 helicopters as reported in some local media and would not say what make they were.

''Talks are under way, there's a company that's an exporter and so there could be some kind of military trading,'' he said, adding that Brazil's Embraer -- the world's fourth-largest commercial jet producer -- also wants to sell aircraft to Russia.

Brazil, the world's largest chicken and beef exporter, would also like Russia to lift a ban on frozen meat imports from some of Brazil's largest ranching states.

Russia gets about a third of its beef, pork and chicken imports from Brazil, but it banned imports of live animals, beef and pork a year ago after Brazil suffered an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Amorim said in jest he would try to persuade Russia that Brazilian beef is safe and delicious by inviting his counterpart to a traditional Brazilian barbecue restaurant.

''I invited him to dinner at Porcao so he can see for himself,'' said Amorim, naming one of Brazil's most famous barbecue restaurants. Porcao means 'big pig' in Portuguese.

In reply, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov quipped that dinner would have to be very persuasive because he had just come from Argentina, another country famous for its beef.

Brazil and Russia also aim to pursue four-way talks with India and China after a first successful meeting in New York, the ministers said. The four countries make up the BRIC group of emerging economies, favorites of investors for their large populations and potential for rapid economic growth.

Reuters