Government Approves Defence Cooperation Agreement with Brazil

Topolcianky, November 27 (TASR) - The government on Wednesday approved an intergovernmental agreement with Brazil on cooperation in the field of defence. "The agreement provides for setting up a joint working committee on military-technical cooperation in the field of armaments and the defence industry, which will be entrusted with the task of coordinating work related to implementing cooperation in the area of armaments and the defence industry with a view to promoting and developing the defence industry. Such cooperation will cover the areas of research and development, logistics support, defence technologies and processes for acquiring defence industry products and services," wrote the Defence Ministry in the approved documents. Brazil will cooperate with Slovakia mainly in areas such as support for developing and implementing joint research, development and production programmes in the field of defence and exchanges of technical information. The agreement will replace a 1997 protocol of understanding between the countries, which is being terminated. It's been concluded for an indefinite period and will enter into force approximately two months after the agreement is adopted and signed by both parties. zel/df