EU-Brazilian landmark summit held

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The first ever summit between the European Union and Brazil is taking place in Portugal.

The meeting marks the start of what both sides say they hope will be a new partnership on issues such as energy, climate change and human rights.

The EU has forged similar alliances with Russia, India, and China.

Portugal, which has just taken over the EU's rotating presidency, said the Lisbon summit with the emerging Latin American economy had been a priority.

Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso are hosting the talks on Wednesday with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

'Gaps bridgeable'

BBC Latin American analyst Martin Murphy said agriculture would dominate the talks.

The developing nations, led by Brazil and India, want the EU and the US to reduce farm subsidies, he said.

But the EU and the US are demanding that developing nations open their markets to industrial goods and services.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told the BBC's Brazilian Service that he was certain any differences on farm subsidies could be resolved.

"Now my view is that the remaining gaps are bridgeable. I think we have not increased the political differences or used political rhetoric that gets in the way of a proper negotiation," he said.