Diplomacia e Relações Internacionais

Brasil quer mediadores internacionais ativos no caso da Siria...

Mediators like Russia for instance?

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Paulo Roberto de Almeida

Brazil calls for proactive international mediation effort in Middle East

Text of report by Brazilian news agency Agencia Brasil website, 30/01/2012

Report by Renata Giraldi: "Brazilian Government Observes Conflicts in Muslim Countries and Supports Mediators"

Brasilia - Amid the crisis in the Muslim world that has stretched for over a year, Brazil remains as a constant observer of the movements in the region without departing from direct conversations with stakeholders of the process, even in countries where tension is greater - Syria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain. Brazil supports the mediators in the region - the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council - in an attempt to end the conflicts in the region.

The order from the Brazilian authorities is to continue the dialogue and the economic and trade negotiations, while keeping under surveillance, nonetheless, Brazil's position on the protection of human rights and respect for democratic principles.

The guidance was sent by President Dilma Rousseff and Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota to Brazil's envoy to the Middle East, Turkey and Iran, Ambassador Cesario Melantonio Neto. About four weeks in office and with a long experience on the subject, the ambassador told Agencia Brasil that Brazil will insist on the pursuit of peace through dialogue and peaceful negotiations.

"We will insist [in the quest for peace] with support for the actions of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council until the last moment. If there are withdrawals [or other difficulties], it will be the case of taking the matter to the UN [United Nations]," said the ambassador. "In the Middle East, everything must be watched closely and carefully, because every day new situations arise."

Melantonio Neto added that it is impossible to analyze the crisis in the Muslim world without observing the other players in the international arena - the European Union and the United States. The ambassador recalled that the United States and France, for example, have presidential elections this year and that Iran will hold parliamentary elections. "That interferes because some of the current stakeholders in the process might change," he said.

[A related item by Renata Giralda in Agencia Brasil on 30 January entitled "Brazil plays an important role in the Arab world, says professor," reports the following: Brasilia - Over one year ago several protests erupted in the Muslim world, establishing a crisis in the region that began in Tunisia and later spread to other regions. Experts say that the conflicts are now concentrated in Syria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and Bahrain. In this scenario, Brazil has come to occupy an important role, mainly because of the continued trade with those countries.

According to Professor Murilo Sebe Bon Meihy, from the Department of History at the Catholic University (PUC) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's relationship with Muslim countries grows every decade and makes the Brazilian government's role crucial. "Brazil has been building a relationship that has yielded many fruits since the military governments and especially after the 1980s," he told Agencia Brasil.

Meihy highlighted the fact that Brazil is one of the observers of the Arab League (comprised of 22 nations) and that it does not belong to the so-called Arab world. "This is an indication of Brazil's relevance to countries of the region," he added. "Brazil establishes these alliances very well in the region from the moment it respects the peculiarities and also manages tensions."

According to the teacher and Brazil's envoy to the Middle East plus Turkey and Iran, Ambassador Cesario Melantonio Neto, the five countries that should be observed more closely by the international community are Syria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and Bahrain. Next are the details of the situation in each country.

In Syria, for the past ten months, the government of President Bashar al-Assad has been the target of widespread protests. Assad has been in power for 11 years. He took over the government after the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, who was elected president for five consecutive terms. He is accused of actions of disrespect for democracy and human rights violations. The United Nations estimates that about 5,000 people died in the country as a result of the clashes.

Libya, after experiencing the longest dictatorship in the world with President Muammar Al- Qadhafi, who was 41 years in office, is led by the National Transitional Council (CNT). The leaders of the body are accused of maintaining the same political, economic, and social structure as Qadhafi's - who died in October 2011. The climate is of constant tension in the country.

In Egypt, after the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, who spent almost three decades in power, a new political phase came about after 18 days of intense protests. A military junta ruled the region and there were parliamentary elections, ensuring the majority for Muslim parties. On the streets, demonstrators hold protests, deman ding the transfer of the military power to civilians, and demand that presidential elections be held by July of this year.

In Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been in power for over three decades and resists leaving office. After suffering an attack and having part of his body burned, Saleh promised to begin a period of democratic transition. But for now, it is still just a promise. He took over after a military coup with a presidential term of seven years, but in every election Saleh has been re-elected.

Bahrain has been under tension for 11 months due to clashes between protesters - Shiites and Sunnis - and government security agents. Military of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were called to try to maintain order in the country, but they were rejected. Under the leadership of the Shiite majority (about 70% of the population) who wants social and political reform, protesters complain about the monarchy of Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, which represents the power of the Sunnis (the other 30%).

Source: Agencia Brasil website, Brasilia, in Portuguese 30 Jan 12

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Diplomacia e Relações Internacionais