2004 TO SEE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN RUSSIAN, BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTS

MOSCOW, January 20, 2004. /RIA Novosti/. The year of 2004 will see the first meeting between the Russian and Brazilian Presidents, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said at the meeting with Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Trade Luiz Furlan and Minister of Agriculture Roberto Rodrigues.

According to Ivanov, this meeting should be "an important stage in the development of new Russian-Brazilian relations".

Several meetings between representatives of different Russian and Brazilian ministries and departments are also scheduled for 2004, the minister added.

"We expect 2004 to open a new page in our relations. We are happy to see you in Moscow in January already," Igor Ivanov told the Brazilian ministers.

Furlan and Rodrigues held several meetings in Moscow over the last two days, in particular, with the Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Igor Ivanov noted.

"I want to emphasize that Russia is interested in the development of stable, mutually beneficial and long-term relations with Brazil," Ivanov said.