MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's Lula wants to expand Mercosur membership

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wants to expand membership in Mercosur, the world's third-largest trade bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

"God willing, we'll be able to increase the bloc's number of member countries," Lula told reporters outside his private residence in the city of Sao Bernardo do Campo.

According to Lula, strengthening Mercosur is fundamental to improving trade relations between South America and the rest of the world.

Lula, who took office Jan. 1, is also a proponent of the ongoing negotiations between Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) to create a continental free-trade zone.

The CAN comprises member nations Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Bolivia is also an associate member of Mercosur, as is Chile.

On Tuesday, Lula is expected to meet with Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde in the capital of Brasilia.

The presidents of Mercosur's two largest member countries plan to discuss initiatives to strengthen the trading bloc, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said.