UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -Brazil and China have proposed a six-point plan for talks to begin between Russia and Ukraine to end their conflict, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday.
Lula, who has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone about the proposal, did not give any details in a speech at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.
He warned that the conflict in Gaza is expanding “dangerously” to Lebanon, adding to calls for a ceasefire.
“The right of defense has turned into the right of revenge, which prevents an agreement to release hostages and postpones a ceasefire,” Lula said.
The Brazilian leader repeated his country’s plea for reform of the United Nations, saying the global body was not doing its job representing the world and stopping wars.
He criticized the tens of billions of dollars spent every year on military arsenals and said these funds should be used to eliminate poverty and fight climate change.
“Ending hunger again is my government’s most urgent commitment,” said Lula, who has been elected three times to lead Brazil.
Lula called for revision of the U.N. charter to revitalize the role of the General Assembly in promoting peace and reform of the multilateral institution.
“The exclusion of Latin America and Africa from permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council is an unacceptable reflection of the colonial past,” he said.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle in Brasilia and Gabriel Araujo in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Howard Goller)
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