Peace in Mideast depends on establishing Palestinian state: Brazil president

Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva said Friday after meeting the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas that peace in Middle East depends on establishing a Palestinian state.

"Fair and lasting peace in the region depends on establishing a prosperous, cohesive and unfettered Palestinian state," Lula emphasized.

Both leaders held a work meeting at noon Friday in Salvador de Bahia in northeast Brazil, one week after the visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres, who met Lula da Silva in Brasilia. They had discussed the Brazilian government's offer to participate as a mediator in Middle East peace negotiation.

In speech after the meeting with Abbas, Lula da Silva recalled that in his country there is a large community of Arab origin that lives at peace with the Jewish community. He also informed that Brazil will organize an economic conference on the Palestinian Diaspora as a contribution to develop the Arab nation.

Da Silva said the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank should be frozen, the borders of a future Palestinian state preserved, and Palestinian citizens should have more freedom of movement in the occupied territories.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is unsustainable, human dignity can no longer be ignored," he said.

At the same time, the Brazilian president suggested that PNA "continue to seek the unity of its people in an environment of democratic coexistence," and condemned those who promote conflict based on "immutable dogmas."

Brazil, stated Lula, will support their participation in the peace process with concrete contributions that support the development of Palestine, as it has been doing in recent years.

Da Silva also said that every country in the world should set as priority the issue of peace in Middle East.

"I am sure that people from Israel want peace, that Palestinian people want peace, Iranian people, Syrian people, American people, Brazilian. If everyone wants peace, it is not possible to continue the conflict. People who do not want peace are minority, and, I would say, sectarian," he said.

Abbas, meanwhile, praised the Brazilian government's decision to participate actively in the negotiations for peace.

"We welcome you to play this role; you have international respect and admiration. We need your support and the world can benefit from it," Abbas said.

The Palestinian said Brazil could use its vast experience in the cohabitation of different peoples "without regarding color, sex or religion."

The leaders also signed during the meeting a memorandum of understanding for technical cooperation in the areas of agriculture, sports, elections, media, urban and social development, health and education, among others.

The Palestinian leader will leave for Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, where he will meet Saturday with representatives of the Palestinian community.

Then, Abbas will travel to Argentina and Chile, where he will be greeted by Presidents Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Michelle Bachelet.

Source: Xinhua