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Lula says Brazil can contribute much to Mideast peace
[March 22, 2010]

Lula says Brazil can contribute much to Mideast peace


BRASILIA, Mar 22, 2010 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reaffirmed on Monday that his country can make a significant contribution to the peace process in the Middle East.

"I think Brazil, with our political shaping, with our history, with our pacifist experience, we can make an enormous contribution to peace in the Middle East," Lula said in his weekly radio show "Breakfast with the President." Lula stressed the importance of his visit to Israel, Jordan and the West Bank last week, saying all the three parties have agreed to Brazil's participation in the peace negotiations.



As Brazil maintains good relations with all countries and political forces in the Middle East, it has much to contribute to the region, he said.

Peace is in the interest of all relevant parties, including the United States, Syria and Iran, because "only peace can allow economic development, income distribution and social justice," Lula said.


"We need to talk to the Iranians, with Syria, with Israel, the Palestinians, Hamas, with Hezbollah. With people who are involved in the conflicts in the Middle East, Brazil has to talk and try to find a solution," he said.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian president called on international forces such as the United Nations to exert more efforts to fulfill their role in the peace process.

"A set of countries, represented by the UN, could definitely solve the Middle East conflicts," said Lula.

"To the extent that the UN does not fulfill that role, there is a void, that is, everyone talks on the Middle East crisis, but no one solves (the issue)," he said.

Brazil, which has a community of 10 million Arabs and descendants, as well as 200,000 jews who are living in harmony, has set an example for others, Lula said.

That shows the task of bringing peace to the region is not impossible, said Lula.

"There is nothing in this world that cannot be fixed," he said.

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