Temer reaffirms Brazil's commitment to UN

Brazil President Michel Temer met Antonio Guterres, the next UN secretary-general and reaffirmed Brazil's "commitment" to the United Nation's goals of democracy and peace.

Guterres, the former prime minister of Portugal, is in Brasilia to attend the 11th Community of Portuguese-speaking Nations, or CPLP, summit, Efe news reported.

Temer told Guterres on Monday that Brazil "will continue working" with the United Nations and the international community to "promote democracy, peace and security," along with efforts on sustainable development, officials told Efe news.

The 67-year-old Guterres was received with honours at the Planalto presidential palace for his private meeting with Temer.

Temer took office on August 31 after President Dilma Rousseff was ousted by Congress, and the CPLP summit is his debut at a gathering of heads of state and government.

The members of the CPLP, created in 1996 on the initiative of Portugal, are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, and East Timor.

After his meeting with Temer, Guterres told reporters he was excited about the future of a group that he helped create while serving as Portugal's premier from 1995 to 2002.

"Twenty years after being co-founder of the CPLP, it's a great joy to return to a meeting of this organization and, now, as UN secretary-general," Guterres said.

--IANS

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