Brasília – The king of Jordan, Abdullah II, said yesterday (23rd), during luncheon offered by the Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Brazilian foreign office (Itamaraty), that Brazil holds a position of international leadership and sets an example for the Arab countries to follow. “We regard Brazil as a leading country and a template,” said the monarch.
Abdullah II asserted that even though this is his first visit to Brazil, he does not feel that if he is in an unknown place, as the country is internationally renowned in several areas, such as diplomacy, business and sports. “Brazil provides an example of regional cooperation and peaceful coexistence. Its multicultural society is an example. Its Arab community is the largest in Latin America and one of the largest in the world. This conveys a message to my region,” he stated.
Lula had said earlier that the Arab and Jewish communities sustain friendly relations in Brazil, and that he hopes this coexistence is reflected around the world one day. During a meeting behind closed doors of the two heads of state at Planalto Palace, the seat of the Brazilian government, the main topic was the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis, according to diplomatic sources that accompanied the meeting.
The two government representatives concluded that the country should play a more active role in negotiations, precisely due to its peaceful stance in the international realm, its championing of cooperation between developing countries, and the multi-racial and multi-ethnic features of its population. In his address, the king underscored the fact that Brazil has always stood up for the rights of the Palestinian people.
Abdullah II asserted that Jordan “ascribes great value to the partnership with Brazil” and praised the role of the Brazilian president in the first Summit of South American and Arab Countries (Aspa), held in Brasília in 2005.
Leader for peace
Along the same lines, Lula claimed that the Jordanian king is admired as the leader of the main efforts for peace in the Middle East. “His dedication is a source of inspiration to all of those who believe in peace,” said the president. “His coming to Brazil strengthens a political dialogue that cannot be postponed, between two countries committed to a future of peace and well-being in the Middle East,” he stated.
The president also said that Brazil wants to count on Jordan as a “privileged interlocutor” in its quest for partners in the Arab world. He stated that in the next Aspa Summit, to be held in Doha, Qatar, in 2009, the two regions are going to take “new steps toward joining forces for a more fair and balanced international scenario.”
Lula called attention to the participation of the Jordanian armed forces, which have the fifth largest number of troops in the UN peace mission in Haiti, led by Brazil. He also stated that developing countries can contribute “creatively and with solidarity” to the overcoming of international crises. The president spoke for the fight against hunger and poverty as a means for avoiding conflicts. In the face of the global economic crisis, the president also mentioned the need for reforming international financial organisations.
The luncheon was attended by ministers, politicians, diplomats and civil society representatives, such as the president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce , Antonio Sarkis Jr., and the Foreign Trade vice president at the organisation, Salim Shahin.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
