Brasília, 11 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - In a speech yesterday, at a ceremony for the nomination of Brazil's Pastoral da Criança for the Nobel Peace Prize, president Fernando Henrique Cardoso took advantage of the opportunity and refuted criticism of his administration saying that much was done in the social area. The Cardoso administration has been attacked for paying too much attention to the economy and too little attention to social problems. "We have in place a series of government projects which have been successful. We are able to say that while everything is not perfect right now, we are certain things will get better in the future [because of what we have done]," said the president. He admitted that income distribution remains a weak point, but pointed out that the administration did do its part.

Cardoso said that the Pastoral da Criança was an example of what was being done to reduce inequality in Brazil. The Catholic action organization has been in existence for 19 years, reducing infant mortality rates, and teaching tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Cardoso called the organization a symbol of what bipartisan, ecumenical efforts can achieve. (AB)