São Paulo – Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said on Tuesday (22), at a press conference for foreign correspondents, in São Paulo, that in recent years there has been a significant change in how the government of the United States sees the possible reforms of multilateral organisations, especially the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
On commenting the statement by North American president Barack Obama, who, while visiting Brazil last weekend, showed "appreciation" for the country’s intention of occupying a permanent seat in the council, Patriota said: "They are important manifestations that show great progress, as they signal not only acceptance, but greater appreciation of the contribution that developing countries may bring to the Security Council through greater presence as permanent members."
According to Patriota, who was on the permanent mission of Brazil to the UN, at the time what was mentioned was just "something called ‘Quick fix’", which consisted in integrating Germany and Japan as permanent members, without any developing country elevated to the same category.
"We have noticed that this situation has changed considerably, with appreciation of the contribution that may be granted by developing nations," said the Foreign minister, who has also been the ambassador to Washington. "This is undoubtedly a very meaningful fact in itself and will have an impact on talks on the matter [at the UN] in New York," he added. He also referred to the support granted by Obama last year to a similar intention by India.
Patriota recalled that Brazil is working in favour of the reform in cooperation with India, Japan, Germany and African countries. "President Obama recognises that these structures (in the council) do not correspond to the 21st Century, and I believe that we have new and very positive bases to work together on, shall we say, a possible reform in future," said the minister. The proposal defended by Brazil increases the number of permanent members from five to nine, including an African representative.
Still regarding Obama’s visit, Patriota said that president Dilma Rousseff commented that her North American colleague "is very easy to talk to". He said that there was "visible chemistry" between both heads of state and joked that Obama’s beach origins – he was brought up in Hawaii – help him "speak like a Brazilian" as well as being as easy-going as one of them.
The foreign minister added that, during the visit, "renewed talks" between both nations took place, "based on common objectives". Among them, Patriota mentioned the promotion of "better quality" and "greater quantity" bilateral trade" – the trade balance is currently against Brazil -, the search for a strategic partnership in the field of energy and cooperation in the areas of science and technology and education.
He pointed out, however, that Brazil should continue defending dialogue with the greatest possible number of "interlocutors" in international questions, and recalled that, in the toast made to Obama at a luncheon on Saturday, president Rousseff spoke about "benign multipolarity", that is, according to the Foreign minister, interaction between different peoples to face the great international themes. "Brazil favours dialogue and negotiation as methods," he said.
Libya
Patriota said, for example, that in the case of Libya, "there was not much divergence" in the Security Council regarding imposing an air exclusion zone in the country, but that the same cannot be said about the military operations currently in progress. Brazil abstained, according to him, as there were "doubts" regarding the "adequacy" of such a measure. Other nations abstaining were China, Russia, Germany and India.
"We are now going to await the report to be made by UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, who is visiting the region, and by his special envoy, former minister [Abdelilah] Al Khatib, from Jordan, who spent three days in Libya examining what should be the next steps for the Security Council," he said.
Patriota pointed out, however, that Brazil is interested in contributing to the "stability and economic, social, institutional, democratic and political progress" of Libya and other nations "at a moment of internal turmoil".
The foreign minister also mentioned that president Rousseff plans to visit China in the near future. Trade will be one of the main themes. Brazil wants to expand exports of "higher value added" products in the Asian country. Today sales are much focussed on basic items, while China supplies Brazil mainly with industrialized goods.
*Translated by Mark Ament
