New York, 12/10/2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Fernando Henrique Cardoso has accepted an invitation from the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, to become a special UN councillor. Cardoso explained that he intends to spend most of his time after leaving office in Brazil and that he did not want a bureaucratic position, but would do political or intellectual work for the UN. He said the job was supposed to be in the area of public opinion and civil society.

Cardoso said he was interested in a new framework for international forums, something he took care of recently at the Iberian-American Summit. He added that he has a critical position with regard to the present structure of the UN Security Council.

Cardoso had lunch with Kofi Annan yesterday and will meet him again today. (AB)