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Reuters - Andrew Hay

BRASILIA, Brazil, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has traversed the globe promoting his countrys political and economic potential for the past two years. Now foreign leaders are lining up to come to Brazil.

The heads of three of the worlds five biggest nations are among a host of leaders who will visit in the next few weeks to buy its food and raw materials and judge its claims to be among the worlds emerging powers.

For Brazilians like coffee grower Luiz Hafers, Brazils arrival as an essential destination for world leaders shows the continental-sized country, long disparaged as the "eternal land of future" for its unmet potential, has finally come of age.

"At long last, I mean just look at the size of this country," said Hafers, 68. "It is a new economy that is exploding."

The leaders of China, Russia and Canada will meet with Lula, who visited 35 nations during his first 20 months in power, promoting Brazils world-leading farm exports and a vision of a new world "trade and economic geography."

Lula has presented himself as a spokesman of poor nations battling to break down trade barriers and possibly form a G5 bloc of emerging powers with Russia and China to balance rich nations global trade and political power.

His center-left government formed the G20 group of developing nations in world trade talks, has taken on a role as a Latin American conflict mediator and wants to represent the region with a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

The world is intrigued and wants to see whether Brazil and Lula have something new to offer, analysts say.

"It is becoming one of those countries you can not be outside of and you have to visit," said Mario Marconini, director of the Brazilian Center for International Relations. "It shows the visibility of Brazils foreign policy. The jury is still out on how successful it will be."

INVESTMENTS TO DRIVE GROWTH

Lula is preparing huge barbecues and state dinners to serve leaders the Brazilian meats, fruits and vegetables they currently do not allow into their nations.

The wave of visits ahead of next weeks Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Chile begin on Thursday when Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives with hopes he will bring promises of $8.5 billion in investment to patch up Brazils unreliable infrastructure and expand its booming steel and mining sectors.

Leaders of Pakistan, Morocco, South Korea and Vietnam and Germanys foreign minister will follow on his heels.

Brazils slice of global trade is less than 1 percent and Lulas government needs new business and investment partners to maintain record exports driving half of 2004 economic growth expected to surpass 4.5 percent.

China wants Brazils soy and iron to drive a hungry, urbanizing nation and is interested in Brazils expanding consumer market. Russian leader Vladimir Putin is interested in Brazils food and raw materials and also keen to sway a Brazilian decision on a $700 million fighter jet contract.

Brazil hopes to establish stronger political ties to underpin trade but analysts do not see any sign of Lulas G5 pact with China, Russia, India and South Africa.

"They see Brazil as a niche for exports and a place to expand their investments. You do not have to create a G5 to do that," said economist Alexandre Freitas Barbosa, at Sao Paulo consultancy Prospectiva.

(Additional reporting by Guido Nejamkis)