LatinNews Daily Report - 07 February 2012

Brazil  | A shift on Syria? Brazil’s foreign office (Itamaraty) appeared to signal a slight shift in its position towards Syria, but not Iran, following the 5-6 February visit to Brasília of Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign affairs high commissioner. In a joint press conference with Ashton, Brazil’s foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, yesterday called for “more urgent diplomatic and mediation efforts” with Syria. Brazil, India and South Africa met ahead of the latest UN meeting on Syria to coordinate a joint position. Brazil is no longer a temporary UN Security Council member, unlike India and South Africa. South Africa and India voted in favour of the resolution, which called for President Bashar Assad’s resignation, but noted some concerns. China and Russia vetoed it. Patriota stated, “The non adoption of the resolution does not mean that violence should increase nor that the diplomatic efforts should diminish….the last thing we want to see is a civil war”.   He added that the Itamaraty was watching “with alarm” the situation of Brazilians in Syria. The Itamaraty estimates that there are 3,000 people of dual Syrian-Brazilian citizenship in Syria. On Iran, Patriota reiterated Brazil’s stance against “unilateral sanctions” and repeated his call for continued dialogue.

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