MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil wants an equals relation with the US, says Foreign minister Patriota

Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota: Brazil a solid democracy and internationally reliable

Brazil’s Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota said that the visit of US president Barack Obama represents a significant reset in bilateral relations. What Brazil wants, declared the minister, ‘is to be treated as an equal, in a more seamless relationship without confrontations’.

Speaking on the eve of the arrival of President Obama, Patriota said “the world is ready for this kind of relationship. Brazil is a solid democracy”. He added that Brazil in line with the need to protect the planet and use clean energy gets 45% of its power from renewable sources.

Patriota also pointed out that Brazil is actively engaged in various global issues that have resulted in solid relations with other countries in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

“We are engaged with our neighbours and the developing world. There are multiple opportunities for cooperation with the modern Brazil. We seek multi-polar cooperation, not rivalries or conflict,” said the minister.

Patriota said he is hopeful that President Obama will declare support for a reform of the United Nations Security Council and a permanent seat for Brazil. Even so, he admits that there were other obstacles, including some countries that were opposed to any reform of the council.

A favourable declaration by the US will not make such a dramatic difference in the situation, the minister said, since real reform requires intense negotiations at the UN and a favourable vote by two-thirds of the Security Council members (support from ten out of fifteen members). But, “let’s be realistic, US support can be significant”.

Patriota put the Obama visit in historical perspective pointing out that he was the ninth US president to visit Brazil, but that this moment was certainly one of the most favourable for Brazil.

“We are in a good phase: solid economic conditions, stable political scenario and our international standing high and very much respected. Brazil is active diplomatically with a truly global reach nowadays,” said the minister, a former ambassador in Washington and considered by US diplomatic sources as less “bias” than his predecessor Celso Amorim.