South American, Arab leaders hold summit

South American, Arab leaders hold summit
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Posted: 1929 GMT (0329 HKT)



BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- South American and Arab leaders opened an unprecedented summit Tuesday to usher in a new wave of cooperation aimed at undercutting the international influence of the United States.

With 9,000 soldiers posted around the city and helicopters flying overhead, 16 heads of state and top officials from 34 South American, Middle Eastern and North African nations gathered for the first Summit of South American-Arab Countries.

"Today, we are facing a historic opportunity to build the foundation for a bridge of solid cooperation between South America and the Arab world," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

He said the leaders must band together to ensure that free trade helps the developing world's masses, instead of only rich countries and multinational corporations.



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http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/05/10/americas.asia.summit.ap/

but i'm glad to see it.

interesting turn of events. maybe bush really is a uniter not a divider...

S American and Arab leaders attack US sanctions against Syria
By Raymond Colitt in Brasília
Published: May 11 2005 03:00 | Last updated: May 11 2005 03:00

Leaders from 33 South American and Arab nations yesterday moved to criticise US economic sanctions against Syria and question Britain's claim to the Falkland islands.


In a draft statement to be formally approved late yesterday at a Brasília summit of South American and Arab heads of state, the leaders also called on Israel to abandon occupied Arab territories.

The unprecedented meeting between the two regions, which included Jalal Talabani, the new Iraqi president, as well as about 1,000 businessmen, is a further attempt by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's president, to foster economic and political ties among developing nations and help create a more equitable world order.

"Our big challenge is to design a new international economic and trade geography," said Mr Lula da Silva. "We defied the sceptics who said could not work together."



snip



http://news.ft.com/cms/s/29a99f04-c1ba-11d9-943f-00000e2511c8.html

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


3//BBC News World Edition, UK Tuesday, 10 May, 2005, 19:59 GMT 20:59 UK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4533489.stm



ARAB-S. AMERICA SUMMIT UNDER WAY



More than 30 heads of state and representatives from South America and the Arab world are attending the first summit between the regions in Brazil.



Brazil's president said he wanted developing nations to redraw the economic map by working together on global challenges such as trade talks.



Algeria's leader stressed the importance of political action, specifically to help the Palestinians.

Observers say the talks aims to build ties as a counterweight to the US.



'Right to resist'




(SNIP)



The talks will end on Wednesday with a declaration that is expected to criticise Israel and back Syria.



The summit declaration is also expected to uphold the right of people to resist foreign occupation.



(SNIP)



The BBC Middle East analyst says the summit had caused some alarm in Washington.



Brazil turned down a request by the US government for observer status, and Arab diplomats said Washington put pressure on them not to attend.





RELATED: SOUTH AMERICA-ARAB SUMMIT SEEKS COUNTER ALLIANCE

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2005-05/10/article04.shtml



. .. . Despite its lofty goals, the summit has been largely ignored by Arab leaders with only five taking part. . … . Arab diplomatic sources in Brasilia told AFP that the Bush administration pressured several Arab countries to stay away after the host turned down a US request for observer status at the summit. Some analysts consider the rejection of the American request as another sign of worsening relations between Washington and the countries it has traditionally viewed as its backyard, according to Reuters. Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based think tank the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, said he had never seen the US so isolated from Latin America. “Latin America went through a withering experience of American bullying to gain support for the Iraq coalition, and now El Salvador is the only country in the region with troops left in Iraq. “It's part of the shakedown of the repercussions of Bush administration foreign policy,” Birns said. South American nations were overwhelmingly opposed to the US-led invasion-turned-occupation of oil-rich Iraq. (MORE)

BRASILIA : Arab leaders seized on the opening of the first Arab-South American summit to highlight their concerns over Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The summit of more than 30 nations -- including 12 from South America -- also marked Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's debut on the world stage.

Palestinian Authority chief Mahmud Abbas also took part and there was tight security with helicopters buzzing overhead, some 9,000 military and police officers standing watch, and tanks and riot police on standby.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva greeted the participants at the opening ceremony in the Brazilian capital, saying the gathering's "great challenge is to design a new geography of international economy and trade."

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/146991/1/.html

But we still have
Georgia and Uzbekistan as friends.