Lula and Indonesian president pledge biofuel cooperation
Sunday, 13 July 2008
JAKARTA, July 12 (AFP): Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Indonesian counterpart pledged cooperation on biofuels during talks here today in a bid to take advantage of surging oil prices.
Lula and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed off on an agreement to share knowledge on biofuel technology after meeting at Jakarta's presidential palace.
The Brazilian leader called spiralling global commodity prices a "great opportunity" for developing countries such as Indonesia and Brazil, both of which are major producers of biofuel.
"The developing countries that have the characteristics that Indonesia and Brazil have should not analyse this crisis as only a problem. We have to see this moment as a great opportunity," Lula said.
"We have land, we have sunlight, we have water resources, we have technology and, thanks to God, the poor of the world have started to eat more, three meals a day, so they will demand more food production."
Lula's Indonesian visit is the final leg on an Asian tour that brought him to Vietnam and East Timor after going to Japan for the Group of Eight industrialised nations summit.
Lula and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed off on an agreement to share knowledge on biofuel technology after meeting at Jakarta's presidential palace.
The Brazilian leader called spiralling global commodity prices a "great opportunity" for developing countries such as Indonesia and Brazil, both of which are major producers of biofuel.
"The developing countries that have the characteristics that Indonesia and Brazil have should not analyse this crisis as only a problem. We have to see this moment as a great opportunity," Lula said.
"We have land, we have sunlight, we have water resources, we have technology and, thanks to God, the poor of the world have started to eat more, three meals a day, so they will demand more food production."
Lula's Indonesian visit is the final leg on an Asian tour that brought him to Vietnam and East Timor after going to Japan for the Group of Eight industrialised nations summit.