Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005, 17h16 (An hour and a half ago)
Spanish Prince highlights the relationship with Brazil in the last years
By Carmen Tabar e Manuel Martinez
During his official visit to Brazil, the heir of the Spanish throne, Felipe de Borbón, highlighted this Wednesday, his satisfaction to testify the "continuous development of the relationship between Spain and Brazil in the last two years", countries that, besides it, became strategic partners.
Prince Felipe's words were said during the toasts at the lunch the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, offered to the prince and his wife Letízia, at the Itamaraty Palace on the first day of the couple's official visit to Brazil.
The president said that "Spain and Brazil search together for democratic and long term solutions to the challenges of a world marked by the intolerance and for the terrorism threats".
According to Lula, Spain is an example of how you can fight this problem, with the strengthening of democracy and respect to human rights.
Felipe talked about the goals both countries share abroad and of the importance that Brazil has to his country, for its influence not only in the Ibero-american community but to the contribution to the nations that are forming themselves.
The prince acknowledged that he feels "a particular affection and admiration" for Brazil" and he especified that, with this visit he wants, together with his wife, to "deepen the mutual knowledge", strengthen the bilateral understandment and leverage new areas of cooperation.
The meetings started earlier than expected today, although yesterday, right after landing, Felipe e Letizia were received by Lula and Dona Marisa for a private dinner at the Granja do Torto, an example of the great cordiality present in this visit.
Today, the official welcome ceremony happen at the Three Powers Plaza.
The modern architeture of Brasília was the setting for the official welcome ceremony, that had a militar parade, which the princes watched accompanied by the president and his wife, Dona Marisa Letícia.
Aftewards, Felipe and Lula had a private meeting to talk about the importance of the Declaration signed last month during the visit of the Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
The declaration will allow the joint creation of initiatives of both countries in several areas, subject both men referred to during their speeches at lunch.
Lula complimented the importance of Spain's participation together with Brazil in Haiti, and asked the prince to thank the King Juan Carlos for his words in January, during the reception offered to the diplomatic body accredtied in Madrid. On that occasion, the Spanish monarch talked about the need to fight poverty, the greates goal of the Brazilian president.
Early in the morning, the princes visited the Senate and the Congress, and met their respective presidents after getting to know both chambers.
Don Felipe and Doña Letizia also visited the Supreme Court and will met a representation of the Spanish colony in Brasilia - that has about 1000 people, at a meeting in the residence of the Spanish ambassador. After that they'll leave to São Paulo, where they shall inaugurate tomorrow the Fórum Instituto de Comércio Exterior da Espanha (Spanish Foreign Commerce Institute Forum).
During today's private meeting, the president and the prince talked about the importance of the Forum, that aims to leverage the investiments of small and medium companies of both countries.
EFE
