MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil “optimistic” expects a more multilateral policy

Amb. Antonio Patriota

Brazil trusts that the new administration of President Barack Obama will implement a more multilateral foreign policy and will strengthen political dialogue between Washington and Brasilia said Brazilian ambassador in the US Antonio Patriota.

"The administration of George Bush was not characterized by multilateralism, but the Obama administration arrives with strong clear signals that it wishes to move forward with international cooperation in the UN and other forums", said ambassador Patriota and an expert in US politics. He added he was optimistic about a more intense political dialogue with the new US administration in line with what Brazilian President Lula da Silva has repeatedly stated in that "he wants to be optimistic about the incoming officials". "We have an agenda which concentrates both on bilateral issues and regional initiatives, we have ongoing dialogue in issues such as Haiti, where Brazil has troops and is in command of the UN peace keeping mission", said ambassador Patriota. "We also have a specific agenda on Africa, Middle East and other international issues and all this will continue" added the ambassador in an interview aired on the Brazilian government news agency. Regarding business and investment, "bilateral trade reached 53 billion US dollars in 2008, a new record, and we continue to receive US investments and more Brazilian corporations are moving into the US such as Petrobras (oil), Geradu (steel) and Odebrecht (public works)". Patriota also mentions the biofuel agreements signed between Lula da Silva and Bush in 2007 to help spread the production of such alternative fuels in Central America and the Caribbean. Finally regarding the candidate for Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, the Brazilian ambassador said that she has a good experience and will encourage a greater cooperation in social affairs. "She's concerned about fighting poverty, social promotion, and this could very well be an issue in the agenda with greater emphasis than in the past", concluded ambassador Patriota.