Recently-appointed UK foreign secretary Margaret Beckett tomorrow begins a two-day visit to Brazil at the invitation of foreign minister Celso Amorim.

The two ministers will address various areas of bilateral cooperation, including those in which agreements were signed during President Lula's state visit to London in March: science and technology, education, the environment, health, and the creative industries. They will also discuss the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), established during the state visit with the purpose of boosting trade and investment between the two countries.

Other issues on the agenda include South American integration, the Middle East peace process, the World Trade Organisation negotiations, and United Nations reform. With regard to the latter the UK has recently reiterated its support for Brazil's bid for a permanent seat in an enlarged Security Council.

Mrs Beckett will also meet with President Lula and give a lecture on British foreign policy at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation in São Paulo.

Source: Ministry of External Relations and Embassy of Brazil in London