Divulgação

 

Brazilian peace mission in Haiti

On Wednesday, 4th, at a Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defence hearing, Government officials and deputies demanded a United Nations Security Council reform that would give Brazil a permanent seat on it.

According to Ambassador Marcel Biato, special adviser to the President, Brazil has acquired a new status on the international scenario and this should be acknowledged by the group member countries: the United States, Russia, China, France and Great Britain.

The Ambassador explained that nothing prevents these countries from vetoing changes on patents and climate based on national security claims. Therefore the Council should be more open to a new multipolar world reality that includes emerging countries.

The UN Security Council has 15 members but only the 5 permanent ones have the power of veto. From next year on, Brazil is going to occupy one of the temporary seats for two years. Since its creation in 1945, the UN General Assembly has increased from 51 to 192 countries that vote on the basis of equality. On the other hand, its Council has only increased from 11 to 15 members.

Interest issues
Ambassador Carlos Sérgio Duarte, chief of the International Institutions Department of the Foreign Relations Ministry, quoted some issues of interest to Brazil at the UN Council, among them the relationship between security and development, an important point for Brazil as a developing country.

According to Sérgio Duarte, Brazil is also interested in discussing at the UN Council ''the civil protection issue, the humanitarian aspect inside armed conflicts, an ever lasting question for the way the Security Council has been acting at international conflicts, mainly at Africa".

The closeness of Brazil-Africa relationship is considered by Ambassador Sérgio Duarte a key for the Brazilian demand on UN Security Council as far as the African continent has 53 votes at the Genaral Assembly.

Non interventionist
Lieutenant Brigadier Marco Aurélio Mendes, the Ministry of Defense representative, said that Brazil is not interventionist. "Rather, Brazil has a tradition on peacekeeping actions as is happening in Haiti."

For Deputy Severiano Alves (PDT-BA), it was quite clear at the hearing that Brazil's admittance at UN Security Council is a measure coherent with the new world reality.

'' I think that Brazilian presence is strong not just because its economic condition, but for its relevance in the world, including peace forces where Brazil is always present'', reminds the deputy. ''So, we shouldn't depend on a reform. Brazil´s seat at Security Council is an almost consensual, nearly imperative change''.

Cuba, Haiti e Honduras
On the other hand, Deputy Nilson Mourão (PT-AC) evaluates that UN needs a reform in order to make its decisions for real. He quoted the end of the economic embargo against Cuba, which has been approved by the institution, but is still not being met by the United States.

Deputies Fernando Gabeira (PV-RJ) and Arlindo Chinaglia (PT-SP) expressed concern on the Brazilian capacity for a possible participation in the Council. They mentioned the Brazilian role at the crisis in Haiti and even its role at the Honduras events.

Despite praising the action of Brazil, Gabeira said that there is still no solution in sight for the situation in Haiti. The representative of the Ministry of Defense also informed that the country will participate in the construction of hospitals, roads and airports all over the country.

Reporting - Silvia Mugnatto
Edition - Newton Araújo
Translation - José Benedito Schneider/Danielle Currlin