Brasília – President Dilma Rousseff defended dialogue as the route to a peaceful solution to political and social crises faced by the Muslim nations, mainly Syria and Libya. According to Dilma, Brazil is a country that “believes in the value of dialogue” and that the use of force “should always be the last resource”. The president pointed out that Brazil may defend this position as it is a peaceful country and free of nuclear weapons.
“We are an area free of nuclear weapons and that believes in the value of dialogue. We may legitimately recommend a more daring attitude, in the face of the rapid transformations of the world,” said the president, at a luncheon offered to the prime minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, at Itamaraty palace.
Indirectly, Dilma referred to talks at the United Nations (UN) at which countries like the United States, France and Germany defended more ostensive action with regard to Syria, while Brazil, the United Kingdom and Muslim countries are favourable to negotiation, without foreign interference.
“The use of force should always be a last resort. And its authorisation should be based on international, plural and representative consensus. I am sure that we, Brazil and Canada, share the same principles,” said the president.
In partnership with India and South Africa, Brazil is participating directly in negotiations involving the government Syria, under Bashar Al Assad, in an attempt to end the impasse in the country. Brazil will be represented by the undersecretary for the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Paulo Cordeiro. He should arrive in Damascus, the Syrian capital, this week to participate in a delegation by Ibsa, the group that includes India, Brazil and South Africa.
The government of Brazil supported the UN statement condemning violence in Syria, appealing to reforms, but defending the use of domestic liberalisation measures, without foreign interference. The statement was disclosed last week.
*Translated by Mark Ament
