BRASILIA, Nov 30: Pakistan and Brazil have expressed determination to develop potential for cooperation in the fields of trade and investment and vowed to fight hunger, poverty and drug trafficking.

A joint declaration issued at the end of President General Pervez Musharraf's visit to Brazil said the two countries had held fruitful discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues, including current developments in South Asia.

The two sides stressed the political importance of the visit and hoped that it would lead to increased cooperation between them. President Musharraf and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva recognized that there was great potential for enlarging bilateral trade and reciprocal investments.

Both countries agreed to implement a 1982 bilateral commercial agreement, particularly the setting up of a committee to facilitate interaction between the businessmen of the two countries through a joint business council.

In the context of international fora, both countries reiterated their commitment to multilateralism and expressed the hope that the Doha round of negotiations of the World Trade Organization would be successful. They reaffirmed their determination to work for the success of the Doha Development Agenda.

The two presidents reiterated the right to development, the use of technologies for peaceful purposes and commitment to non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

They renewed their pledge to work for a general agreement on the comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council. The Brazilian president appreciated President Musharraf's participation in the September meeting of the world leaders on 'Action Against Hunger and Poverty' and his support for the New York declaration.

President Musharraf and President da Silva expressed satisfaction over the signing of a memorandum of understanding on technical cooperation in the area of food security. They also acknowledged the significance of the agreement signed on cooperation in combating the production, consumption and trafficking of drugs and psychotrophic substances as well as money laundering and related acts.

The accord provides for cooperation between police forces and intelligence agencies, development of common projects in the area of scientific research, combating money laundering and reduction of demand of drug, treatment and rehabilitation of drug users. President Musharraf invited President da Silva to visit Pakistan at an early date which was accepted. -APP