Brazil's Lula -

U.S. must have a new look at Latin America

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva talked to U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday, asking him to have a new look at Latin America.

In a phone conversation with Obama, Lula said there are conditions for the United States and Latin America to establish partnership, the technological development in particular.

"The U.S. must look at Latin America thinking about technological development, partnership, contribution," he said.

Later on Thursday, during an Armed Forces event in Brasilia, Lula said that the U.S. hesitation about the region is not justifiable, since democracy has been established in the area.

"There must be a change in the U.S. policy on Latin America," said Lula, "There is no Cold War anymore, and there is no armed conflict."

He was also optimistic about a change in the U.S. stance towards Latin American countries, as "President Obama has every condition to improve and expand his country's relations with the Latin American nations," he said.

The two leaders will meet again at the Fifth Summit of the Americas, which will take place in Trinidad and Tobago from Friday to Sunday.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/17/content_11197620.htm