"Lula and Putin should walk together toward a multilateral world"

Brazil's bid to make a plural and democratic forum of the UN Security Council is not new. Early in the nineties, during Itamar Franco's administration, this South American country made several calls to the international community to introduce African and Latin American permanent seats into the Council. By that time, Franco's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim headed those negotiations. Today, Brazil's charismatic leader, Luiz inacio Lula Da Silva, trusts in the same London-educated diplomat to make once frustrated dreams come true.

Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, that is his full name, is a man of convictions. While his previous stay at the head of country's diplomacy, Brazil gave the decisive steps towards the integration with Argentina within Mercosur and criticized US position on Cuba as a "Cold War policy". Today, Amorim is still committed to those principles and tries to give Brazil an independent but not provocative line to nation's foreign policy.

PRAVDA.Ru could dialogue with Celso Amorim after the inauguration of the new Argentine President Nestor Kirchner in Buenos Aires. Harassed by reporters from all over the world, Brazil's former Ambassador to the United Nations explains Brazil's ideas to build a plural international community, in which Russia has a leading role to play.

Q: Mr. Amorim, is Brazil still interested in restructuring the UN Security Council to obtain a permanent seat for South America?

Yes. We believe that it is necessary to restructure the UN Security Council, as South America has to be represented there as a permanent member. This is natural, as well as it is natural that Africa and Asia have to obtain the same right. It is not possible that only developed countries or nations that possess atomic weapons are the only ones that enjoy permanent seats. We believe that we have to advance towards a more democratic representation in the international scenario.

Q: Should Brazil work together with Russia to reach that goal?

We have a great interest in the cooperation with Russia. Brazil believes that a deep reform of the UN Security Council could be a crucial contribution to build a multilateral world.

Q: How would you describe the state of the relations between both countries?

Well, I have personally traveled to Moscow twice this year. I have been there to make political consults to reach to a common position on the war in Iraq. Then, I have attended to a meeting with Vladimir Putin as member of the Rio Group delegation to discuss future developments of the relation between Russia and Latin America. I think that Lula and Putin will cooperate. They should walk together toward a multilateral world. On the other hand, the recent visit of our Minister of Industry to Moscow was very important, as it will help on the trading cooperation between Russia and Brazil.

Q: President Lula had said that his foreign priority was Argentina. How would you describe the state of the relations with Brazil's southern neighbor?

I think they are in a very special moment. Both presidents have an historical opportunity to consolidate our ideals about Mercosur. We do not want a trading union only. We want a political integration within Mercosur to expand these ideals to South America. I think that both (Argentina's President Nestor) Kirchner and (Brazil's President) Lula have a very similar view, something very helpful, indeed. 

Q: What would the US reaction be to the consolidation of an Argentina-Brazil-led new power in South America?

We are not trying to change power relations, although we believe in a multilateral world. Our position contemplates friendly relations with the US, which we are trying to strengthen right now. At the same time, I think that Argentina and Brazil have to reach to common positions on foreign affairs to have a presence in the international scenario.