Medvedev favours strategic association with Brazil

RUSSIA: In a congratulatory message to new Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff on Sunday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he favors a strategic association with Brazil.

Medvedev reaffirmed that the position is a priority in Russian foreign policy, based on sincere sympathy, mutual respect and trust between the two states.

“We are joined by long-term national interests and solidarity resulting from fruitful cooperation,” the Russian president said.

“Our nations work together closely on a wide range of international affairs in the interest of consolidating democracy, and reinforcing stability and security, as well as equitable cooperation,” the president said in the letter, quoted by the Kremlin.

Such collaboration takes place in the United Nations, the Group of 20, the BRIC (Brazil, Russian, India and China) and regional organizations such as Mercosur, the Group of Rio and the Organization of American States, Medvedev noted.

Over the past few years, conditions have been created to develop economic ties, and it is a priority at present to foster and diversify trade and carry out joint projects in the fields of space research, energy and communications, he added.

A new sphere of cooperation will be the exchange of experiences to organize the Winter Olympics and the Paralympics in 2014 and 2016 in Sochi and Rio de Janeiro, respectively, as well as the FIFA cups in 2014 in Brazil and in 2018 in Russia, the President said.

Moscow, Monday Prensa Latina