Czech prime minister on official visit to Brazil

The Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, on an official visit to Brazil, has met with the country's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Mr Paroubek and President Lula met on Friday, discussing economic issues as well as domestic and foreign policy - with Mr Paroubek revealing plans for the Brazilian president to visit Prague in the coming months. The Czech prime minister stressed support for Brazil's effort to gain permanent member status in the United Nations Security Council, saying he expected that Brazil would show similar support for the Czech Republic, aspiring to become a Security Council elected member.