Brazil could help smooth over Cuba's transition to democracy, says ambassador to U.S.

Brazil could help smooth over Cuba's transition to democracy, says
ambassador to U.S.
The Associated Press
Published: January 8, 2007

BRASILIA, Brazil: Brazil's good relations with the United States and
Cuba could help bring a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba if
ailing President Fidel Castro dies, Brazil's newly appointed ambassador
to the United States told the official government news agency.

In an interview published Monday, Antonio de Aguiar Patriota said he
believed the United States could benefit from Brazil's analysis of the
situation within the communist country.

"Cuba is geographically close and also an important country in the
region, with which we have fairly close relations these days. I consider
Brazil could possibly play a role in the search for a transition to
democracy that could be more calm and without possible turbulence,"
Patriota said Monday in his first published interview as ambassador.

Patriota was appointed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as
ambassador last November and is expected to head to Washington in the
coming weeks.

Cuban officials often take offense at suggestions that the
communist-governed island needs a transition to democracy, arguing that
their single-party system is more democratic than that of the United
States and most other countries.

Patriota said Brazil also would continue to push for a permanent seat on
the United Nation's Security Council, a goal that has long been a
cornerstone of Silva's foreign policy.

He said other countries in the so-called Group of Four, which includes
Germany, India and Japan as well as Brazil, should be seated on the
Security Council.

He also suggested an African country be nominated for a permanent seat.

Patriota said it was too soon to say what effect the Democratic Party's
majority in Congress will have on Brazil-U.S. relations.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/08/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-Cuba.php