On her first official visit as the United States’ State Secretary, Condoleezza Rice praised, yesterday, the Brazilian leadership on the continent, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s initiative to prioritize the fight against social inequalities in the country.
In a quick interview with the press, after meeting the Minister of Foreign Relations at the Itamaraty Palace, Rice mentioned the importance of strengthening an agenda between Brazil and the US to prioritize democracy.
According to her, Brazil and the US share democratic values, as well as cultural diversity. She stresses that the US sympathizes with Brazil’s growing role in the world.
In addition to discussing with Celso Amorim issues related to the bilateral relation Brazil-US, Condoleezza Rice emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the commercial arena, with the strengthening of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the overcoming of impasses related to the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
“Brazil is a great country, with many cultures, a great friend of the US, and that will contribute for a better world,” she said.
Condoleezza Rice also complimented Brazilian initiative on having the South America-Arab Countries Summit in May, which has the objective of strengthening ties between the 22 nations of the Middle East and Latin American countries.
According to the Secretary, the Arab region needs to undergo changes that will allow its countries to face globalization challenges.
“We want more interaction between Arab countries and the rest of the world. We will try to cooperate,” she affirmed.
Agência Brasil
