While in Moscow, the Brazilian minister will have talks with two Russian vice premiers, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Anti-Trust Minister, the Foreign Minister, and a deputy to the Kremlin Chief-of-Staff.
"The main goal behind my trip is to provide, in partnership with Russian counterparts, a new impetus for the development of bilateral relations, passing from talk to action," Mr. Furlan said in a RIA Novosti interview before setting off to Moscow Sunday.
According to the minister, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has declared Russia as a priority in Brazil's foreign policy. "Our two countries could effectively complement each other. Russia boasts advanced aerospace technologies whereas Brazil has well-developed technologies in agriculture, banking, and electronic control," he said.
Russia's heavy industries are traditionally robust, so it could assist Brazil in developing the petrochemical sector. And Brazil would provide management technologies in return, our interviewee suggested. The Russo-Brazilian cooperation potential remains largely untapped, he believes. "I'm certain that Russian companies' investment in the Brazilian economy and Brazilian companies' investment in the Russian economy can be brought up to 40 or even 50 billion dollars ten to fifteen years from now," he said. He would like Russia to import to Brazil high-tech products, including ones turned out by the defense industry.
Another topic prominent on Mr. Furlan's Moscow agenda will be the concern of small and medium-sized agricultural producers in Brazil over Russia's recently imposed restrictions on meat imports.
On Tuesday, January 20, Agriculture Minister Roberto Rodrigues is expected to join the Brazilian delegation in Moscow. Mr. Furlan leaves Moscow for Zurich the following day, January 21.
