Assad backs Brazil-Turkey plan to solve Iran nuclear row

(AFP) – 8 hours ago
BRASILIA — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad voiced support Wednesday for the efforts of Brazil and Turkey to broker a diplomatic solution to the international tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
Under a May accord, Iran agreed to send some of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in return for higher grade nuclear fuel from Russia and France for a medical research reactor.
Assad described the Brazil-Turkey plan, which was rejected when the United Nations imposed new sanctions on Tehran earlier this month, as “fundamental” to any peaceful solution.
The US-led drive to impose tougher UN sanctions on Iran was hampered by sustained efforts by Brazil and Turkey to head off the measures and promote their nuclear fuel swap deal.
Western nations fear Iran is bent on developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes.
Assad’s comments came on his first-ever tour of Latin America, after meeting in Brasilia with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
In a speech at the foreign ministry, Assad proposed a free trade agreement between Syria and the South American trading bloc Mercosur, which consists of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Lula said Brazil “supports ending the obstacles” preventing Syria’s admission to the World Trade Organization, while Assad said he backed Brazil’s hopes for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
“The world needs Brazil in the UN Security Council because it can help establish a new and more just international order,” Assad said.
Lula backed Syria’s demand that Israel return the Golan Heights it occupied after the Six Day War of 1967, and said Damascus should be included in any peace initiative in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians.
During their meeting, the leaders signed a series of cooperation agreements on health, education and extradition proceedings.
Assad has already met President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and President Raul Castro in Cuba on his tour of the region, which wraps up on Friday in Argentina.