Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged on Monday support for Brazil's bid to join an expanded United Nations Security Council in a boost for the Latin American nation's ambitions to increase its geopolitical influence. "We are opening new horizons in our relations," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said after a brief visit to Brasilia by Putin. "I thanked President Putin once again for Russia's help on Brazil's candidacy for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council." It was the first visit by a Russian leader to Brazil. Lula has made Russia one of his foreign policy priorities, eager to export more of Brazil's abundant farms goods and gain access to Russian technology. Brazil's leader backed Russia's campaign to become a member of the World Trade Organization. Brazil has been trying to achieve its global aspirations through initiatives like leading a peacekeeping mission to Haiti, proposing a global war on hunger at the United Nations and trying to maintain regional political stability. Brazil has joined Germany, Indian and Japan in an effort to mutually support each others' bids for seats on the United Nations Security Council if it is ever expanded. Its leadership of poor nations in world trade talks and growing role as a Latin American conflict mediator has caught the eye of rich countries. Calling Brazil a "strategic partner," Putin said he hoped the two countries could double or triple trade, which is set to reach no more than $2 billion in 2004, in a few years.
