New York, December 10, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Fernando Henrique Cardoso said yesterday (9), upon receiving the Mahbub ul Haq prize, awarded by the United Nations, that, if he is receiving international recognition for the improvement in Brazilian social indicators, it is because the whole society supported his main decisions. "There is something odd in a president's receiving a prize individually, because what presidents do is always the result of a collective effort," he emphasized.

In the president's evaluation, the entire Brazilian nation dedicated itself in recent years to work on behalf of changes in essential areas, as a result of the democracy implanted in the country. In addition to thanking every Brazilian, Cardoso gave special thanks to his wife, Ruth Cardoso, to all his family members, and to each and every public and private employee who worked to implement human development in Brazil. (DAS)