COLOMBIA AND BRAZIL SEEK COOPERATION BETWEEN PACIFIC ALLIANCE, MERCOSUR

Brasilia, Jun 20, 2014 (EFE).- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos met here with Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff to discuss bilateral and regional issues and the possibility of forging closer ties between the Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR.

The Pacific Alliance, which comprises Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru, "is not against anyone" and "synergy with MERCOSUR would be welcome," Santos told reporters outside the Palace of the Dawn, Rousseff's official residence in Brasilia.

MERCOSUR, which is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela, has been criticized by business leaders in the members countries in recent years for its failure to seal trade agreements with other blocs.

Closer ties between MERCOSUR and the Pacific Alliance "would make all of us stronger" and strengthen integration processes in Latin America, Santos said.

He said he will convey that interest to the leaders of the Pacific Alliance member states at a summit today in Mexico, where Santos traveled after watching Colombia defeat the Ivory Coast 2-1 in a World Cup match in Brasilia.

Santos said he also spoke with Rousseff about his government's peace talks in Cuba with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group and efforts to launch a similar process with the smaller ELN rebel insurgency.

Rousseff expressed her full support for those negotiations, Santos said.

"Brazil has been actively involved in this whole process" and "has helped a great deal from the outset," Santos said, recalling that the Brazilian government also provided logistical support for the release of FARC-held hostages.

The Colombian president said he spoke with Rousseff about the possibility of expanding bilateral trade, which last year amounted to $4.2 billion, and that the two also agreed to further promote mutual investment.

Finally, Santos added that he congratulated Rousseff on Brazil's organization of the World Cup.

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