Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday that his country would like to offer a helping hand in the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

    At a meeting in Brasilia with Palestinian Minister of Information and Foreign Affairs Riad Al Malki, Lula said that his administration is also willing to cooperate in the areas of energy, infrastructure and sports with Palestine.

    Brazilian Foreign Relations Minister Celso Amorim said that Brazil's involvement in the peace talks may be announced during French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's visits to Brazil.

    "We believe that countries like Brazil may bring some fresh air to the peace negotiations," he said.

    Amorim added that the current international financial crisis will be the prior subject to be discussed with the Russian and French presidents.

    Malki thanked Lula's willingness to help the negotiations and to receive Palestinians from Iraq.

    "Some of them are still having problems to adapt, but the Brazilian government has extended them warm help," he said.