Returning a call placed several days ago by Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president elect of the United States, Barack Obama, this Tuesday, November 11, phoned the Brazilian leader, who is on a visit to Italy and on his way to a Washington summit this weekend.
Sources close to Lula reveal that Obama pondered that the present world financial crisis cannot be solved by the rich countries belonging to the G-8 group alone.
The telephone call lasted about 15 minutes. Lula used the occasion to revendicate a role for Brazil and other emerging countries to help reinvigorate the global economy. Lula told Obama that he hopes that Brazil will be a fundamental actor in the work to find a solution for the world plight. Â
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According to aides to the Brazilian leader, the American president elect showed he has been doing his homework on Brazil and recognizes the importance of the country to Latin America and the world. Obama also sees the value of Brazil's participation in any future reform of the United Nations Security Council.
He said that he is well aware of the Brazilian efforts in three distinct areas: economic growth, social programs and renewable energy. He also expressed his desire to deal at length with these topics with the Brazilian president in the near future.
Lula told Obama that he wishes to continue with the president elect the good relations he has with the current occupant of the White House, president George W. Bush. During the call, Lula invited Obama to visit Brazil and the invitation was accepted even thought no date for such a trip was defined.
Lula showed interest in meeting Obama next Saturday when the Brazilian president comes to Washington for the G-20 summit. Obama, however, informed that he won't be in the US capital that day.
President elect Barack Obama also recalled that someone in Lula's cabinet, the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Roberto Mangabeira Unger, was his professor at Harvard. In a recent interview, Unger said that he regards Obama as a friend and respects what the calls his moral and intellectual qualities.
