[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
[March 31, 2007]
[Pages 372-374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Joint Statement on the Occasion of the Visit by President Luiz Inacio 
Lula da Silva of Brazil to Camp 
David
March 31, 2007

    Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and George W. Bush resolved to 
continue deepening the strategic dialogue between Brazil and the United 
States, as reflected in the determination to increase bilateral 
cooperation based on the shared values of democracy, human rights, 
cultural diversity, trade liberalization, multilateralism, environmental 
protection, defense of international peace and security, and promotion 
of development with social justice.
    The Presidents welcomed the strengthening of the partnership between 
the two countries in the area of renewable energy with the Memorandum of 
Understanding to Advance Cooperation on Biofuels, signed in Sao Paulo on 
March 9, 2007. The Presidents noted with satisfaction the results of the 
meeting on implementation of the

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Memorandum, held in Washington on March 29. They expressed their 
governments' intention to arrange for Brazilian scientists and 
researchers to visit state-of-the-art biofuels research laboratories in 
the United States, as well as visits to Brazil by senior officials of 
the United States Departments of Energy, State, and Agriculture in 
Spring 2007. The United States and Brazil recognized the support of 
institutions including the IDB, the United Nations Foundation, and the 
Organization of American States. Brazil and the United States plan to 
begin efforts to work together, initially, with Haiti, the Dominican 
Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, and El Salvador, and to pursue 
consultations with other countries interested in participating in the 
cooperation program.
    The Presidents noted with satisfaction the growth of bilateral trade 
and investments between the United States and Brazil. They reaffirmed 
their intention to use the ongoing ``Commercial Dialogue'' to seek ways 
to promote innovation and increase trade opportunities, particularly for 
small- and medium-sized enterprises, as well as to protect intellectual 
property rights. The Heads of State noted the formation of the U.S.-
Brazil CEO Forum to engage directly with leaders in the business 
community to discuss economic and trade-related topics. They applauded 
plans by United States Council on Competitiveness and Brazilian 
Competitiveness Movement to stage an ``Innovation Summit'' in Brasilia 
in July 2007 to support greater competitiveness and innovation. The 
Presidents agreed to direct their governments to explore initiatives in 
the area of tourism, including examining the possibility of increasing 
flights between Brazil and the United States, with particular attention 
to Northeast Brazil.
    The Presidents applauded the March 20, 2007 signing in Brasilia of 
an Agreement for the Exchange of Information Relating to Taxes. The 
Presidents expressed hope that the signing of this Agreement will be the 
first step toward cooperation between the Brazilian Federal Revenue 
Secretariat and the Internal Revenue Service. They pledged to redouble 
ongoing work toward the conclusion of an agreement on double taxation.
    The Presidents noted with satisfaction the progress achieved since 
their November 2005 meeting in Brasilia, including the first-ever 
convening of the bilateral Joint Commission on Science and Technology on 
July 21, 2006; and the launch of a Commercial Dialogue between the 
Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade and the 
U.S. Department of Commerce.
    The Presidents welcomed the strengthened partnership in education 
through the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding in this area. 
They applauded the immediate start-up of its implementation with the 
launch of a program targeting increased professional and technological 
education in Brazil and bilateral exchange in an effort to include 
increasing numbers of young people and adults in the labor market.
    The Presidents expressed their support for cooperation with African 
countries. They applauded the trilateral cooperation to strengthen the 
Legislative Branch of Guinea-Bissau, as established in the March 30 
Memorandum of Understanding. The Presidents also discussed the possible 
broadening of such cooperative efforts to include other interested 
African countries. The two Presidents announced a specific commitment to 
cooperate on a plan to eradicate malaria in Sao Tome and Principe. They 
also agreed to explore cooperation in combating malaria, tuberculosis, 
and neglected diseases, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries in 
Africa such as Angola and Mozambique, and to confront the threat of 
avian flu, building on their cooperation on HIV/AIDS in Mozambique and 
Angola.
    The Presidents recognized that the success of international action 
in Haiti depends

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on simultaneous activities to achieve security, political 
reconciliation, and socioeconomic development. They intend to act within 
the United Nations framework to increase multilateral cooperation in 
Haiti and welcomed efforts to identify areas of mutual cooperation in 
support of stability and economic development in Cite Soleil. They 
applauded the success of efforts by Brazil and the United States, in 
cooperation with other countries in the region, to secure United Nations 
Security Council renewal of the mandate of the United Nations 
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) last February.
    The Presidents sought to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the 
area of public safety, particularly in combating organized crime, drug 
trafficking, and money laundering, and in preventing terrorism and 
terrorism financing, with emphasis on information sharing between 
intelligence units and on the establishment of mechanisms for recovering 
assets resulting from transnational crimes.
    The Heads of State reaffirmed global economic growth and development 
as the main objectives of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization 
(WTO). They underscored the importance of continuing to constructively 
engage negotiators, which facilitated the resumption of the 
negotiations. The Presidents pledged to work together toward a 
successful conclusion, taking advantage of the window of opportunity 
opened in 2007. They emphasized that the agreement should be ambitious 
and balanced, with a view to both an appreciable increase in market 
access and in global trade flows, and a significant reduction in global 
poverty rates.
    The Presidents reaffirmed the importance of reform of the United 
Nations to make the organization better able to deal with today's 
complex international agenda. They further reaffirmed their commitment 
to coordinate closely on the issue of Security Council reform.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.