U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (R) alongside Brazilian Vice President and Defense Minister Jose Alencar attends a press conference after their meeting in Brasilia March 23. (Reuters)

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (L) meets with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (C) and Brazilian Vice President and Defense Minister Jose Alencar in Brasilia March 23. (Reuters)

    BRASILIA, March 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met Brazilian Vice President Jose Alencar on Wednesday on Brazil's role in the United Nations peace-keeping force in Haiti.

    The two leaders also discussed the anti-terrorist alliance in the Triple Border (Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay) and a law that authorizes the shooting down of illegal airplanes over Brazilian territory.

    Rumsfeld is the first top US official to visit Brazil in the second term of President George W. Bush.

    The talks came in advance of the meeting between Rumsfeld and Brazilian President Luiz I. "Lula" da Silva.

    The US secretary has plans to visit on Wednesday afternoon the facilities of the Amazonia Surveillance System, which has equipment from the United States.

    The work of the UN Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti is one of the principal issues in Rumsfeld's visit agenda. He arrived in Brazil from Argentina.

    With respect to the Triple Border, Washington demands greater vigilance of financial movements in the zone, arguing it has become a center for the financing of Islamist terrorism.

    The Brazilian authorities deny the existence of terrorist activity in the zone. Enditem