Leaders to endorse Brasilia declaration
South American and Arab leaders are set to start the final session of their summit in Brasilia on Wednesday and pledge to tighten political and economic links between the regions.
Banding together to dampen the international dominance of the United States, South American and Arab leaders have rallied against the global influence of wealthy nations and Israel at a summit aimed at empowering developing countries.
The Declaration of Brasilia is said to be at odds with US policy in a number of areas.
It lashes out at US economic sanctions against Syria, calls for tighter political and economic links between the regions, but demands that Israel disband settlements and retreat to its borders before the 1967 Middle East war.
The document denounces terrorism, but asserts the right of people “to resist foreign occupation in accordance with the principles of international legality and in compliance with international humanitarian law”.
The clause was a clear reference to Israeli and American condemnation of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hizb Allah.
Middle East peace
The draft does support international efforts for Middle East peace, including the US-backed road map peace plan, and urges Israel to withdraw from occupied Arab territories.
On Iraq, it stresses respect for the “unity, sovereignty and independence of Iraq and of not interfering in its internal affairs”.
Iraqi president Jalal Talabani told summit leaders he wanted their help to fight terrorism, which he described as “an international curse”.
He reminded the conference that fighters in Iraq were killing both foreigners and indiscriminately killed Iraqi innocent civilians.
“For every one American killed, 300 innocent Iraqis are killed,” he said.
But he stressed that Iraqis were resilient and committed to
establishing a democratic system under which all could
prosper from the country’s vast natural resource wealth.
Talabani added: “Iraqis are also working for the creation of conditions appropriate for the withdrawal of coalition forces” when Iraqi security forces were ready to assume the responsibility of defending the country.