Lula Rings W

Brazilian President, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, called President Bush with an invitation. Lula wants the G-7 and emerging country presidents to meet right before the upcoming Hong Kong WTO summit. If they can't make it before Hong Kong, then they could meet by the end of January.

Lula wants to kill two birds with a stone. The first is to put pressure the EU on the agricultural subsidies which obstruct Brazil’s entry to the lucrative European market. The second is to make clear than regardless of Venezuela’s entry in Mercosur, he is first and foremost with Brazilian businesses.