Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Friday expressed the wish to speed up her country's space cooperation with Ukraine.

Speaking by phone earlier in the day, Rousseff and her Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yanukovych discussed bilateral cooperation, especially on the space sector.

Brazil and Ukraine are partners in Alcantara Cyclon Space (ACS), a company which is preparing for the launch of the Cyclone-4 rockets from Brazil's Alcantara base in the northeastern Maranhao state.

Rousseff said Brazil is working hard to ensure the launch of the first rocket by 2014.

The Alcantara base, located just two degrees south of the Equator, is considered as a prime spot for space launchings. It was first used in 1990. In 2003, a launching accident killed 21 people.

During the phone conversation, Rousseff accepted Yanukovych's invitation to visit his country next year during the first planned meeting of the Brazil-Ukraine High Level Forum.

Source: Xinhua News Agency