Giuliana Napolitano
São Paulo – Arab ambassadors in Brazil will offer a reception to ministers Aldo Rebelo (Political Articulation) and Eduardo Campos (Science and Technology). According to the chief ambassador of the Special Palestinian Delegation to Brazil, Musa Odeh, the reception "is recognition for the work both have done in improving relations between Brazil and the Arab countries."
"They are great friends of the community," declared Odeh, who made the invitation to the ministers as he is the Arab ambassador who has been in Brazil for the longest period of time.
Musa Odeh recalled that Rebelo and Campos were two of the founders of the Arab-Brazilian Parliamentary League, an organization which, according to him, has been in operation for over 20 years and focuses on "structuring and strengthening relations between Brazil and the Arab countries in various fields: cultural, economic, commercial, political, technological, etc."
Today, informed the ambassador, around 300 politicians are included in the League, among them Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. "(Former presidents) Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Itamar Franco, and José Sarney are also part of the League," he stated.
In the Arab world, the counterparts of the League are "friendship committees" which exist between Brazil and countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Kuwait, according to Odeh.
Arab-South American summit
Although this organization has existed for years, the ambassador believes that relations between Brazil and the Middle East and North Africa are now "entering a new era." "The League itself is being renewed," he explained. His point of view is that the changes are due to "the historic visit president Lula took to some Arab countries at the end of 2003" and also to the Brazilian proposal of organizing the first summit between Arab and South American heads of states in December this year.
All the 22 Arab countries have been invited to participate in the summit, and, added Odeh, "all have answered positively to the proposal." There are still, however, no definite answers. The subject should also be discussed at the Arab summit, to take place within the next few weeks. The meeting should have started on Monday (29) in Tunisia, but was postponed, and the leaders are currently trying to set another date for the event.
Service
The reception in honour of ministers Aldo Rebelo and Eduardo Campos will be taking place on Wednesday (31), starting at 07:30pm, at Clube Monte Líbano (Mount Lebanon Club), in Brasília.
