Archive / Other publications
The role of multilateralism in contemporary international relations
13/02/2003 By Publicaciones FRIDE
Fernando Henrique Cardoso started his talk regretting that as a consequence of the September 11 attacks, concerns over security had replaced “peace and wellbeing of peoples” as the main priority. The former President of Brazil discussed how this current situation of crisis could be transformed into an opportunity to improve the models of coexistence of international society, even though he did not deny the relevance of security.
The President of the Club of Madrid recalled how the Government of Brazil condemned the September 11 attacks and admitted the U.S. right to self-defense, but at the same time stressed the need for any reaction to abide by international law. Thus, Cardoso, President of Brazil at the time, defended the central role of the UN and specially its Security Council, and rescued the Interamerican Treaty of Mutual Assistance of 1947 from oblivion, as a still valid legal instrument to respond to crises through regional cooperation. Despite his admitting the lack of practical results from his initiative, he did not considered it a wasted effort.
Download the full version of this publication, available in English (203 kB)
Spanish (203 kB)
To read or listen to the comments of our experts in the media about this and other topics, please visit our Press section.
Keywords
Brazil Civil society European Union Latin America & Caribbean Multilateralism Peace UN USBio author: Publicaciones FRIDE
'Publicaciones FRIDE' is the byline used whenever a publication doesn't have a specific author.
