 Its operational mechanism is the Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission (CIC).In June 2000 the two countries signed the Basic Agreement on partnership relations.In 2001, a high-level committee headed by then Vice-President of Brazil Marco Maciel, and then Prime minister of Russia Mikhail Kasyanov, established several long-term bilateral treaties, initiating a strategic partnership between the two countries, and creating the "Brazilian-Russian Governmental Commission".