Nova York- The secretary general at the Itamaraty, Antônio Patriota, in a three-day visit to New York, said in an interview to ANBA, at the United Nations (UN) headquarters, that Brazil is paying great attention to the development of talks about the reform of the Security Council.
"I believe that this question should gain greater visibility in coming weeks and next year, even due to the changes that are taking place in the international distribution of influence and economic power," he said.
Patriota is among those considered for the position of Foreign Minister in the cabinet of president elect Dilma Roussef, replacing Celso Amorim. Read the main stretches of the interview below:
ANBA – What is the main reason for your visit to New York?
Antônio Patriota – I am here to participate in talks regarding Sudan, which took place at the Security Council last week. Brazil is carefully observing the situation in that country and hopes for the referendums taking place there to develop in a peaceful way, in benefit of stability. Sudan is an important country for Brazil, and the largest in Africa.
The debate regarding the reform of the United Nations is gaining space on the international scenery. How are talks on this matter, as Brazil is considered a natural candidate for entry in the Security Council?
As we know, there are recently some important developments, like the declarations of [United States] president [Barack] Obama, who discussed this matter, stating his support to India and restating his support to Japan.
On the other hand, William Hague, the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, which currently presides the Security Council, once again stated his support to Brazil. Some important articles and papers discussed the matter. I believe that this matter should gain greater visibility in coming weeks and next year, even due to the changes that are taking place in the international distribution of influence and economic power. This year we had the reform of the IMF, with the expansion of emerging economy quotas. This is also an important development. The G-20 is establishing a new mechanism for financial cooperation and there is no reason for the Security Council not to consider this new distribution of political influence.
What is the project that Brazil is presenting to win the support of the greatest number of countries for its candidacy?
That is a very long matter but, in a nutshell, I would say that Brazil is among the largest countries with the largest GDP, etc. It may be considered the one with the most peaceful profile in the world to date. It is a country that has good relations with all its neighbours and we are developing a global network of embassies. It is a country with great presence in multilateral forums. Together with Japan, it is the country that has most worked in the Security Council as a non-permanent member. It is a country that is not nuclear, but that has very solid credentials in the area of non proliferation and disarmament. Brazil is a country whose foreign operation is intertwined with the notion of peace and development. This is the spirit in which we consider we have a contribution to provide. Our agenda is purely turned to diplomacy, to the resolution of conflict and international tension through dialogue, and also to a combination of efforts for stabilisation that the UN has been promoting, with great competence, through peaceful operations and other methods, with the idea of social and economic development. Because without development, in situations in which poverty, misery, contrast and inequality prevail, this is only contributing to possible worsening of tension.
Brazil is still worried about presenting the global community with a model for peaceful and cordial coexistence among communities, and a proof was the third Forum of the Alliance of Civilisations, promoted in Rio de Janeiro in May this year…
In truth, we are more and more involved in this debate. What we want is to show that in Brazil there is peaceful coexistence among origins, religions, of all the ethnicities, which live in harmony.
Brazil showed its interest in greater participation in the search for a solution to the conflict between the Israeli and Palestinians. How are talks on the matter?
Together with India and South Africa, in the group called Ibas, we have always included pleas for a peaceful solution to this conflict, and for the creation of two states.
On the other hand, we consider that the shape of the conference in Annapolis, which took place in 2007, was good for some result to be reached, as it included, apart from the countries in the region and the permanent members of the Security Council, other countries outside the region that could also give their support. Maybe this exercise somehow symbolises what we consider favourable to the future.
*Translated by Mark Ament
