Brazil backs reinforcing U.N. Iraq arms inspectors

www.alertnet.org 12 Feb 2003 23:40

BRASILIA, Brazil, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Latin America's largest country, Brazil, threw its weight on Wednesday behind a proposal by France, Germany and Russia to reinforce arms inspections in Iraq to guarantee Baghdad has no arms of mass destruction.

The government of center-left President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had so far remained silent on the growing crisis over Iraq. But the Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Brazil "supports all peaceful efforts" in the United Nations to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.

"In this sense, Brazil's government was very interested in the common declaration by Russia, France and Germany about Iraq, which it supports," the statement said.

Although Brazil is not on the U.N. Security Council, it's position as the world's fourth most populous democracy gives it some status on the world stage.