São Paulo – The government of Brazil continues making regular contact with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and pays close attention to the development of events in the region, said on Thursday (17) the country’s foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, in an interview to foreign correspondents at the Brazilian Foreign Office (Itamaraty) headquarters in the city of São Paulo.
Among the activities forecasted for this year, the Foreign Minister stated that Brazil plans to visit Algeria, a country considered “central” in the League of Arab States and that played a “very professional” part while presiding the G77 during the Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which took place in 2012 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The G77 brings together developing countries seeking articulation of common positions among these nations in international forums.
The minister condemned the kidnapping of the workers of an oilfield in Algeria, on Wednesday (16), which resulted in deaths in a rescue operation by the country’s army, on Thursday. “We condemn any act of violence against civilians. It is concerning,” said Patriota, adding that he is going to discuss the theme with his Algerian colleague in the visit he plans to do.
He also spoke about the Brazilian interest in seeing peace talks with Palestine progress. Brazilian diplomacy aims to operate in this sense wherever possible, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the agency that accepted Palestine as a member state in October 2011. “We are going to work at the Unesco for closer cultural and educational ties between Palestinians and Israelis, and we may support other initiatives,” he said.
The minister recalled that Brazil “actively supported” the recognition of Palestine in the Assembly General of the UN, which last year elevated the country’s status to observer state. “We make a point of multifaceted dialogue,” he said. According to him, this means that negotiations should take place not just in the diplomatic area, but also in areas like trade and technology.
Patriota pointed out that Brazil is favourable to the return to peace talks between Israel and Palestine “as soon as possible”. “The international community needs to analyse itself with regard to this paralysis, steps have been taken backwards with the expansion of settlements,” said the foreign minister, referring to the construction of new Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem, occupied Palestinian territories.
The minister returned to criticising the lack of operation of the so-called Quartet, the group that includes United States, Russia, the European Union and the UN, which should operate as a moderator of the peace process between Israel and Palestine. “There is frustration regarding the lack of operation, the inefficiency of the Quartet, which has not produced results,” he said.
Also at the UN, in February, Brazil should be granted a seat in the Human Rights Council, and plans, according to Patriota, to promote an agenda turned towards the fight to intolerance, especially regarding Islamophobia.
Syria
Although not currently participating in the Security Council, the country plans to follow up on and press for a solution to the conflict in Syria. “We are disgusted by the expansion of violence,” he said.
He added that it is possible to return to the consensus reached in June last year, during the ministerial meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, which resulted in the sending of UN observers to the Middle Eastern nation, but who were later removed due to the rekindling of violence.
According to the foreign minister, the agreement made at the time, signed by China and Russia, who are opposed to more incisive action against Syria by the Security Council, is “a roadmap to transition” in the country. He pointed out that the UN peace operation department is prepared to operate in case of a cease-fire.
On another diplomatic front, the minister mentioned the visit he recently made to Turkey to meet with Brazilian ambassadors who work in Islamic countries and give a talk to Turkish diplomats who operate worldwide. At the time, alongside Sweden, Brazil and Turkey released an informal partnership named TSB, which, apart from representing the initials of the three countries, also became an acronym for the expression Trilateral Solidarity for Building Peace.
Patriota also said that the president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, may visit Brazil in the first half of this year. The trip had been scheduled for last year, but was postponed. He added that other forums should discuss questions relative to the Middle East this year, like the conference on the Alliance of Civilisations, in Geneva, the Munich conference, in Germany, about safety. Both events will include Brazilian participation.
*Translated by Mark Ament
