MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US supports South American Defence council proposal

The Brazilian proposal for a South American Defence Council is considered “interesting” by United States but Washington has no immediate reaction to the issue said Thomas Shannon, US Under Secretary of State for Latinamerica, according to an interview published in the Sao Paulo financial newspaper, Valor.

Shannon said that the Brazilian initiative is seen by Washington as a "concerted mechanism designed to promote dialogue among Defence ministers" in the region thus helping "with an additional dialogue level that could be useful for the region's security. It's an interesting idea". However he did point out that the US "has no immediate interest at stake" and that the project does not exclude United States from dialogue instances in the South American region. "We have very good relations with the Armed Forces and Ministers of Defence from South America and this initiative does not interfere or interrupt such a relation. We have major instances that link us to South and Central America", indicated Shannon to Valor. Brazilian Defence minister Nelson Jobim began this month a round of contacts with all governments of South American to boost the idea of the South American council, including talks with US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. The project proposes the implementation of regional defense policies; organizing joint exercises and peace forces, plus an analysis of international affairs and regional situations. During Ms Rice March's visit to Brazil she stated the US trusts the Brazilian initiative will help to prevent and solve regional crisis.