Roberto Maltchik Reporter Agência Brasil (special dispatch)

Washington – As the World Conference on Nuclear Security moves into its second and last day, Brazil has joined forces with Turkey in opposition to sanctions against Iran. According to Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim, the idea is to work against sanctions at the UN Security Council. “If we get stuck in a cycle where there is a reciprocal hardening of positions, where one country says it will apply sanctions and the other says it will not comply under threats or pressure, we go nowhere… We have seen this from past experience, tragic experience. On the other hand, when there are conversations, there is a chance for a solution. We believe there is time for this,” declared Amorim.
The minister said that an understanding could be reached through negotiations regarding Iran’s desire to obtain uranium enriched to 20%. A deal would consist of Iran receiving enriched uranium from the IAEA in exchange for the uranium it already has. But, Iran says it wants to get the enriched uranium before it turns over the rest of its own uranium and wants more time to do so. Amorim says an agreement on a uranium exchange would reduce the pressure from the United States for more IAEA inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities.
Yesterday in Washington, president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed details of a possible proposal that could work. Both leaders are trying to find a middle ground for an understanding that would bring Iran closer to the IAEA and certain other countries further away from sanctions.
Meanwhile, in another conversation in Washington yesterday, the Brazilian and American ministers of Defense, Nelson Jobim and Robert Gates, signed a military agreement (the first between the two countries since 1977) and also discussed Iran. Gates asked for Brazilian support in punishing Iran. Jobim said Brazil’s position is based on caution and seeks an “intelligent” exit for the problem.
“They (the Americans) need to take into consideration Iran’s strategic position, after all, it is a country close to other countries that have nuclear weapons. There has to be a guarantee that Iran itself will be safe from attack,” said Jobim.
As for the military agreement with the US, Jobim said that one of the positive points in it was the possibility of the sale of Embraer Super-Tucanos to the Americans (the Super Tucano is a turboprop light attack aircraft that is also a flight trainer). Under the terms of the agreement, Embraer will be able to participate in international bidding to furnish one hundred aircraft to the US Navy.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English