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Brazil’s Middle Eastern adventure
Published: 30 November, 2009, 13:40
Edited: 17 May, 2010, 16:21
(Fernando Bizerra Jr/EPA)
TAGS: Meeting, South America, Middle East, Politics
Brazil’s President Lula is searching for peace in the Middle East. Hugging Iran’s Ahmadinejad and driving for dialogue with all the regional players, his talks have set Brazil into uncharted territory.
“The most popular politician on earth,” as Barack Obama dubbed Brazil’s President Lula, has forged a friendship with Iran’s President Ahmadinejad. On November 23, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was welcomed to Brazil with a hearty bear hug from the Brazilian.
In hosting President Ahmadinejad, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is engaging Iran without preconditions. This openness is in stark contrast to the US and EU policy to isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear ambitions.
“It won’t work to leave Iran isolated,” Lula said on “Breakfast with the President”, his weekly radio show. “If Iran is an important actor in this strife, it is important for someone to sit with Iran, to talk with Iran.”
Smiles instead of threats
By greeting Ahmadinejad with smiles, Lula is developing a relationship beyond the diversified bilateral trade and visa-free travel issues on the agenda into something altogether idealistic. “I work for the building of peace in the world. I defend peace in the Middle East,” he said at a press conference following their three-hour meeting.
Rather than the threats of sanctions sought by the US, Lula called for an easing in the tensions surrounding Iran’s international relations. In exchange, President Ahmadinejad – the first Iranian president to ever visit Brazil – backs the right of the world’s fourth largest democracy to a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
President Ahmadinejad welcomed Brazil’s participation in Middle Eastern affairs. “It can help promote peace and stability,” he said after the discussion and claimed they shared a foreign policy based on a humanitarian perspective.
The nuclear issue
Oil-rich Iran’s current international problems center on its nuclear ambitions, which it states are purely peaceful. These claims are disputed by Israel, as Ahmadinejad has openly stated his intention to “wipe Israel off the map”.
Regional tensions are high. On November 22, Ahmadinejad’s air force played a war game to defend their nuclear facilities from a potential Israeli attack.
In addition, Lula has defended Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, as long as it does not break international rules. Speaking on Brazil’s “O Globo” TV news on Sunday, Ahmadinejad spoke of cooperation. He said: “We can build partnerships to build nuclear plants.”
A distinctive voice
This inclusivity undercuts the West’s hard-line policy to the Iranian nuclear program. Lula has emerged with a distinctive voice among the major international powers. Brazil’s economic power and political leadership in Latin America give it resonance.
The Brazilian has sought the role of mediator, a position that is respected by leaders as diverse as Iran’s Ahmadinejad and President Shimon Peres of Israel.
Trust from Israel
Just in November, Lula also hosted President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and Israel’s President Shimon Peres, as well as Ahmadinejad.
Lula said on Breakfast with the President: “They are three countries in conflict and have great responsibility for peace in the Middle East.”
Peres became the first Israeli leader to visit since 1966, a sign of Brazil’s new-found influence. Following a trip to set up Peres’ arrival, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said, “I think that Brazil, more than any other country, can try to convince Iranians to stop their nuclear program and, of course, to convince the Palestinians to start direct talks.”
In March 2010, the Brazilian expects to strengthen his mediator role. He plans return trips to Israel, Iran and the Palestinian territories, as well as visiting Jordan and Syria to understand a broader range of viewpoints.
Rubbing up against the US
A strong Brazilian engagement in diplomatic issues in the Middle East and Latin America has led to areas of disagreement with the US.
Brazil has criticized the US for its role in the Honduran crisis following June’s coup. Lula took an active diplomatic role, which diverged from the US position.
There have been further differences over US use of military bases in Colombia. Brazil’s Foreign Minister Celso Amorim described the presence of foreign military bases in the region as “not something we see as positive.”
Despite the differences, he said (on November 26, AP) that “We continue to talk on all these issues. It isn’t always necessary to agree. All are extremely friendly contacts.”
Peace through talks and football
Lula believes that all the participants in the conflict must be involved in its resolution: “It is necessary to establish a dialogue, a very serious policy talk, so that you can then believe it is possible to establish peace in the Middle East.”
One of his goals is for the Brazilian football team to play a joint Israel-Palestine team in March. On Breakfast with the President, he said that it would be “an extraordinary achievement for Brazil and, above all, a very important sign for peace.”
Ahmadinejad certainly has faith in Lula. He believes in a partnership between his country and Brazil. He told O Globo: “The two can work together to help create a new international order.”
Jonathan Stibbs for RT
29.11.2009, 21:10
1 comment
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Brazil is a huge country and will be one of the key players in world politics of the future. The president of Brazil can talk to any world leader he chooses without a permission slip from any other country. Portugal, the mother country, should be very happy for Brazil.
The author of this article must take time and trouble to clarify the purported Ahmedinejad's statement about "wiping Israel off map". As I understand it from credible media reports, this is a phrase made up by an Israeli translator. He was translating Ahmedinejad's speech dealing with the history of world's ideologies. He cited many historic examples of how ideologies come and go. He has then mentioned a most recent example, the disappearance of Soviet ideology. His only reference to Israel was in regard to its ideology, Zionism. He said that Zionism, like other world's ideologies, will one day disappear from the history pages. He never mentioned Israel, wiping-off or map. His understandings of Zionism as an ideology has nothing to do with the existence of Israel as a state. I would really like to see serious journalists research this particular issue, as this "translation" has been circulating all over the world. Perhaps, it would be more helpful to stick with truths, no matter where they lead.
As a Brazilian , I welcome Russian views and Russia´s influence to balance the planet for the sake of humanity. It is nice to read Rt.com frequently, I am pleased to read Russians´opinions and find today´s Russia, very well lead by Mr Medvedev following Mr Putin, excellent for Russians, excellent for humanity. Brazil is a young country, as mentioned, a great Portuguese invention and creation where all races and ethnic groups blend and prosper, though human violence remains human violence and we do have our share of it in Brazil, luckily never race nor ethnic neither religiously based, just the unavoidable violence of humans. That has also improved in Brazil recently and I thank RT.com as an alternative and credible news source, enough of the usual western biased dis-information and single-truths , Spaciba, Russia, best greetings from Rio de Janeiro. Shall Lula´s effort help our for a stable and prosperous Middle-east, Brazilians will always count on Russia and all Russians efforts for peace by ALL means for humanity, no more lies of mass destruction from the western press, the lies about Iraq were enough and the same case shall NEVER be repéated in Iran. Russia MUST help , spaciba, Russia ;+)