MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

France to help Brazil build fighter planes and submarines

The French president receives his Brazilian counterpart

Brazil and France announced the strengthening of their growing strategic alliance in defense and other fields during a presidential summit Tuesday in French Guyana. Nicolas Sarkozy hosted Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the Amazonia border city of Saint Georges-de-l'Oiapock.

It was Sarkozy's first visit to a French Overseas Territory since taking office. "We want to act together, think and build together, and above all we want to grow together", said the French president who added that Brazil is a good friend of France, a democratic power "and we are willing to work with this good friend for world peace". Sarkozy also announced France was prepared to transfer technology to Brazil and help the South American leading economy build helicopter, fighter aircrafts and submarines. "I'm talking specifically of the (Dassault) Rafaele fighter plane and the Scorpene submarines. We will help to have them built in Brazil", said Sarkozy. Brazil already has a plant of Eurocopter helicopters in Minas Gerais, builds fighter planes and for years has been trying to develop a nuclear powered submarine. Embraer is also a leading world manufacturer of short and medium range passenger aircrafts. Lula da Silva arrived to French Guyana escorted by Brazilian Navy and Army units and crossed the Oiapock river which acts as a natural border. A bridge linking Brazil with the French Overseas Territory is planned for the near future. The two leaders also gave their full support to a humanitarian agreement for the liberation of hostages held by the Colombian cocaine funded guerrilla group FARC. "Any agreement must count with the approval of the Colombian government", underlined Lula da Silva during the press conference following the meeting. Sarkozy also reiterated French support to all efforts to help liberate hostages, particularly the former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped since 2002 and who is also a French national. The agenda of issues addressed according to Brazilian sources included besides cooperation in defense affairs, bio-fuels, environment, nuclear energy and technology transfer.