May 16, 2003 

Luiz Fernando Furlan, Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade of Brazil, and Fernando Furlan, chief of administration of the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade of Brazil, started their informal visit to St. Petersburg, Russia.  

The first place they visited was the Baltika Brewery whose President Taimuraz Bolloev is the Honorary Consul of Brazil in St. Petersburg. While exchanging views during a tour of the beer factory, Luiz Fernando Furlan said that he hopes very much for further improvement of the relations between Russia and Brazil. In 2002, the trade turnover between Russia and Brazil was 1,7 billion USD. In the near two years the trade turnover between the two countries is planned to be increased to 5 billion USD if the trade relations between them keep developing successfully and dynamically. Luiz Fernando Furlan expressed his confidence that, as the Honorary Consul of Brazil in the North-West region of Russia, Taimuraz Bolloev can do much to support the economic integration between Russia and Brazil.  

During the visit to St. Petersburg, the members of the Brazil delegation will meet with representatives of Russian banks and business groups and be offered a cultural program. The visit to St. Petersburg is planned to continue till May 18. Then the high guests will leave for Moscow where they are to start the formal part of their visit to Russia.  

In Moscow, Luiz Fernando Furlan and Fernando Furlan, accompanied by heads of 34 largest companies of Brazil, will meet German Gref, Minister of Trade and Economic Development of the Russian Federation. During the official meeting, they will discuss issues of the trade relations between Russia and Brazil.  

This visit is expected to be a prelude to a meeting between Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and Brazilian Vice-President Jose Alencar that is slated for September-October, 2003.  

These diplomatic initiatives are made under the guidance of the Bilateral Commission on the Trade&Economic and Scientific&Technological Cooperation between Russia and Brazil. One of the tasks of the Commission is to promote the economic integration between the two countries in the context of the reforms announced by the newly-elected government of Brazil.