MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US supports Brazil's Security Council candidacy.

United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said this Tuesday that Brazil is “a solid candidate” to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and praised Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for his regional leadership and international standing.

However Mr. Powell who is currently on a two days visit to Brazil and was scheduled to meet President Lula da Silva, cautioned that the US would wait until the UN appointed panel of experts now studying reforms announced its conclusions.

Brazil since last January is a non permanent member of the UN Security Council for two years. The council is made up of five permanent members, US, UK, China, France and Russia plus ten rotating biannual members.

Although US-Brazil relations have improved dramatically during the last twelve months, --Washington is thankful to President Lula da Silva's recent efforts in easing political tensions in Venezuela and leading the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti--, trade remains a stumbling block because of Brazilian recurrent complaints about trade and US agriculture subsidies.

US also is concerned about Brazil's feet dragging to date to give international inspectors access to the country's nuclear facilities. A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, is expected in the coming weeks but it's not known how much access Brazil is prepared to give them.

But Mr. Powell also emphasized that "US has no concerns about Brazil moving in the direction of anything but peaceful nuclear power, but should work with the IAEA".