Brazil ready to work for peace in Middle East

Brazil is ready to contribute to the efforts towards peace in the Middle East. The statement was made by Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo, who took part in a conference on conflicts in the region, held Thursday (Feb. 14), in Warsaw.

The event, requested by the Polish government, was attended by representatives from over 60 countries. Important Middle Eastern nations—like Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, and Palestine—did not participate. China was not invited.

In addition to Ernesto Araújo, the event was joined by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US vice-President Mike Pence, and Jacek Czaputowicz, prime minister of the host country.

Brazilian voice

Brazil wants to bring its voice to the debate, the minister said. “We believe strongly that we need to work from the principles of freedom and human dignity, including religious freedom—and here special attention must be brought to the fate of Christian communities in the region,” he declared.

Efforts towards building peace in the Middle East must take into account a nation’s identity and sentiment. “We think that to abandon one’s own country and sentiments is not the way to peace. We believe that every nation can find in its own identity and culture, the strength to fight for peace.”

In his address, Araújo advocated a more “frank” diplomacy and criticized what he termed “difficulties” in foreign relations, often marked by inaction. The UN, he said, has become too “self-centered,” he said. “[The UN] created the notion that any solution must go through endless discussions, and that when you reach some sort of resolution, it’s only a matter of a text, and not a matter of a real deal,” he argued.

Criticism

Irani Foreign Minister Javad Zarif used his Twitter account to criticize the assembly. He described the initiative as a US-driven movement aimed to promote US influence on the region.