Obama, Rousseff to hold talks

US President Barack Obama and Brazil's president will try to forge stronger trade, education and innovation bonds when they meet Monday, the White House said. They also are widely expected to discuss Brazil's interest in getting a permanent seat on a reformed U.N. Security Council and Washington's interest in getting Brazil's support for tougher sanctions against Iran and Syria, McClatchy Newspapers reported. Obama and Dilma Rousseff, an economist making her first official visit as president, will use the 11:45 a.m. EDT Oval Office meeting to "continue efforts to grow commercial, economic, education and innovation ties between our two countries," the White House said Sunday night. Brazil is South America's largest country in area and population, with about 200 million people. Over the past decade it has also become one of the world's fastest-growing economies -- expanding twice as fast as America's -- and is now the world's sixth largest. It is a member of the Group of 20 finance ministers and central-bank governors from 20 major economies and is to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Obama visited Brazil in March 2011. Both leaders are to participate with 33 heads of state and government, minus Cuba, in the Sixth Summit of the Americas, to be held in the Caribbean beach resort city of Cartagena, Colombia, Saturday and Sunday. The Colombia summit's theme is "Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity." Monday's agenda is expected to include economic issues, such as trade. A free-trade agreement between the two countries has stalled, with some analysts in Washington accusing Brazil of protectionism. On education, Brazil wants to expand the number of students attending top U.S. universities, Brazilian officials say. Brazil also seeks US support in its bid for a Security Council seat. It had hoped for an endorsement by Obama during his Brazil trip like one he gave to India, McClatchy Newspapers said, but he only expressed appreciation for Brazil's "aspiration." At the United Nations, Brazil opposed the U.S. position on sanctions against Syria, supporting negotiation instead. It also abstained on a UN Security Council resolution last year supporting military action in Libya. Still, US Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns, the highest-ranked U.S. foreign service officer, told business leaders in Rio de Janeiro last month the central theme of Obama's visit last year "bears repeating: The American people don't just recognize Brazil's success -- we root for Brazil's success." Burns said, "Let us stand together, not as senior and junior partners, but as equal partners, joined in a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect, committed to the progress that I know that we can make together."