According to the official reports, Brazil, the oldest nuclear power in Latin America, is poised to attain industrial autonomy in the processing of uranium in a move pursued by the military to secure the country's pre-eminent status in military and political fields.

Brazil completed enrichment on a small non-commercial scale many years ago but faced U. S. intervention in its long-standing nuclear program at every step of the way until the military leaders enlisted Germany as one of the key suppliers.

It has been reported that although U. S. pressure on Germany curtailed some of the technology transfers, Brazil under successive military and civilian administrations pushed forward with a nuclear program that began in the 1930s.

A secret weapons development program, started by the military in the early stages but shelved from time to time by successive regimes, remains shrouded in mystery. Brazil has frequently battled with the International Atomic Energy in Vienna to resist inspection of facilities designated as sensitive by the military.

It has been reported that news that autonomy on an industrial scale was at hand was broken by military sources quoted in the Brazilian media.

Brazil will be able to control the whole industrial cycle of uranium processing from extraction to conversion to fuel by the end of 2010, the sources have said.

Completion of the process would free Brazil of dependence on other suppliers, notably the United States, Brazilian Navy Capt. Andre Luis Ferreira, coordinator of Brazil's nuclear propulsion program, has said.

Brazil will complete this year the first phase of a plant for the production of uranium hexafluoride, from which enriched uranium is developed. The Aramar plant is located within a military complex in Ipero in the state of Sao Paulo, he further revealed. (With Inputs from Agencies)