Brazilian president meets London mayor - 8 March, 2006 - News

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met London Mayor Ken Livingstone at Buckingham Palace Wednesday, with anger still simmering over the police shooting of an innocent Brazilian man mistaken for a suicide bomber.

Photo: Brazilian president meets London mayor

Neither side made any immediate public comment after the private meeting on the second day of Silva's state visit to Britain.

It was likely the president raised last year's killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, which sparked intense anger in Brazil. London police shot de Menezes on a subway car in July, two weeks after deadly attacks on the city's transport system.

Police have apologized for the killing and British prosecutors are considering whether to charge any of the officers involved.

Silva was also visiting Parliament Wednesday morning for a reception with members of the legislature's two houses, the Lords and the Commons.

Later Wednesday, he was to view a Brazilian art exhibition at the Barbican Center and attend a seminar on British-Brazilian trade ties.

He received a lavish ceremonial welcome from Queen Elizabeth II Tuesday, and was the guest of honor at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

Britain and Brazil are "good friends and allies with a common history," the queen told guests in the palace's 19th century ballroom.

"We have been friends in troubled times ... sharing a common vision of the sanctity of democracy and the rule of law," the queen said, reports the AP.