Mauro Vieira: Brazil supports Arab causes, for a viable Palestinian state
Syria-Brazil, Politics, 7/10/2003

Ambassador Mauro Vieira, special envoy for President of Brazil Lula Da Silva has concluded a three day visit to Syria during which he held talks with President Bashar al-Assad and the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

In a statement to Arabic News (ArabicNews.com), Ambassador Vieira said "I came here as a special envoy, carrying a message from President Lula De Silva to President Bashar al-Assad in which President De Silva expressed his best wishes for the good health and happiness for President al-Assad and his family and continued prosperity and progress for the Syrian people." He added that the message also dealt with bilateral cooperation relations between Syria and Brazil.

Ambassador Vieira continued that the message presents a project for a summit meeting between American Presidents and Presidents of the Arab states, noting that this is a new project, as it is for the first time such an idea born in that the two regions are meeting to discuss South- South cooperation relations to develop cooperation between them and exchanging experience and discuss items of international agenda of concern to our countries, besides International cooperation, including among other things, the UN; Peace in the Middle East and the strengthening of multilateralism system and the fighting of terrorism.

Ambassador Vieira added that he presented the project to President al-Assad and asked for his ideas and opinions to this effect, noting that "this is why I am here."

On his meetings with Syrian officials, The Brazilian envoy said "I met with President Bashar al-Assad and briefed him on the content of the letter. I told him that our foreign minister is coming to Syria before the end of this year." In this regard ambassador Vieira said that Brazil's foreign minister was in Egypt for the World Trade Organization meeting and he also very recently took part in the deliberations of the World Economic Forum which was held in Jordan on the Dead Sea.

He added that President al-Assad extended an invitation to President of Brazil to visit Syria and the President might be fulfilled in the course of President Da Silva tour on the Middle East.

As for the role of the Syrian and Arab community in Brazil, Ambassador Mauro Vieira said that the Syrian community in Brazil has always played an important and relevant role in the formation of the Brazilian society. He said that there are between 2.5 to 3 millions Brazilians of Syrian origin. And from all Arab countries, there are 12 million, so as an Arab community, it is very active, creative and they are in all different activities including businesses, banks and academics. A rich community mainly concentrated in Saint Paulo the best hospital in Brazil is the Syrian- Lebanese hospital in Saint Paulo.

He said that to give an idea, 10% of the Brazilian congress which is divided to two parts, the Senate and the house of the representatives. The two together almost have 600 members, with nine percent of them are of Arab origin.

He continued that the Presidents of both houses, three year ago, were both of Arab origin.

He added that at the International court of Justice at the Hague, the Brazilian representative is a Lebanese, who was born in Brazil but his parents came from Lebanon.

He said that in Brazil, all immigrants absorb the culture of Brazil. They are many nationalities and they are very much attached to problems of their region. He said that the Arab community created different groups of parliamentarians to support different causes in the Middle East. He indicated that many of the Senators came in peaceful missions to the region, noting that two houses also send members to talk with their colleagues. They have regular meetings. Out of these, the Brazilian parliamentarians of Arab origin want to show the Brazilian society the importance of bringing peace to this part of the world.

On his impressions about Syria during this visit, he said "I was very much impressed." This is my second visit to Syria following the first one last year. The Syrians are warm and friendly. They make us feel at home. Even the food I was very much used to the Syrian food," hinting that this his second visit to Syria confirmed the very positive impression "I carried back home when I came back here."

He indicated the very friendly and open way when he was received by President al-Assad and by foreign minister al-Shara. "I was honored by the very quick answers they gave for our embassy requesting the (meetings)."

He described President al-Assad as very knowledgeable on all subjects. He said that both President al-Assad and the foreign minister Farouk al- Shara reacted in a very positive way to the message sent by the President of Brazil.

On developments in his country, ambassador Vieira said that President Lula Da Silva of Brazil is the founder of the "Workers Party." He said that President Da Silva was elected in October 2002 and took office on January 1st, 2003. His party was an opposition party and they won the election. They are in power. President Da Silva changed the orientation of the economic policy, the social policy, even the foreign policy. He added that President Da Silva is very much engaged in a growing the economy. The fight against unemployment and poverty, but he is also in favor of foreign investment. He said that Brazil is a market economy and will continue to be so, adding that President Da Silva gave a social dimension to this government. He started with large number of social projects to fight hunger, with a program called "Hunger Zero," which aims at giving at least 3 meals a day to every Brazilian in need. Besides, ambassador Vieira added there are programs for education in all levels, at the secondary and university levels. He said that there are programs to create jobs to young people and programs to fight child labor and stimulate families to put their children in schools.

On his assessment on regional developments in certain Latin American countries like Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina, where Leftist parties are in power, ambassador Vieira said that in other Latin American countries, the policies and attitudes have not changed much. They have the same orientation as in Brazil.

He said that in Argentina, their President embarked on a new social program, inspired by the Brazilian programs. He commented that Argentina also needs foreign investment and a social outlook to problems of society.

Concerning world globalization "we are not anti- globalization. We just want our countries to relate to each other freely and independently. We are not worried by globalization. we just want to have food, shelter and command to the growth of our economy and to act at the international scenes through the multilateral system and to discuss debated issues with others," he said.

As for Brazil's position concerning developments in the Middle East, ambassador Mauro Vieira said that Brazil is in favor of all peace efforts in the Middle East. He outlined "we are far away, but concerned with the problems in the region. We support all efforts to bring peace to this part of the world. We support the efforts made by the Quartet in making peace a reality. We hope that the Roadmap and the Quartet provide positive results for the negotiating parties and for positive results serving peace in the region."

He said that "we support the creation of an independent Palestinian state with defined border and (that is) economically viable."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad confers with Brazilian president envoy   (7/7/2003)
  Brazil for developing relations with Syria   (5/17/2003)
  The Arab- Brazilian works forum   (7/25/2001)
  Morocco's ambassador in Brasilia named coordinator of Brazil-Arab enterprise forum   (7/5/2001)
  Arab-Brazilian economic forum next july in Rio De Janeiro   (3/26/2001)

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