France to help Brazil boost its military

SAINT-GEORGES, French Guiana, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The French government will help Brazil boost its military by helping the Amazonian nation build fighter jets and submarines, it was reported Wednesday.

The agreement was hammered out at a summit Tuesday in French Guyana between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

This was Sarkozy's first visit to a French Overseas Territory since taking office in May 2007, Mercopress reported Wednesday.

"We want to act together, think and build together, and above all we want to grow together", Sarkozy was quoted as saying.

He said France was prepared to share technology with Brazil and help it build helicopter, fighter aircrafts and submarines.

"I'm talking specifically of the (Dassault) Rafaele fighter plane and the Scorpene submarines. We will help to have them built in Brazil", Sarkozy said.

The two leaders also reportedly discussed nuclear energy, the environment and the use of cleaner-burning bio-fuels, Mercopress reported.