In an official note, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations lamented the death of Yassar Arafat, the president of the Palestinian Authority and informed that President Lula will not be able to attend the Palestinian leader's funeral.
"Brazil wishes to express its most sincere condolences for the death of the historical leader of the Palestinian people in their struggle for self-determination and independence," said the note.
The ministry also announced that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will not attend the funeral of Yasser Arafat, who died early this morning in a Paris military hospital.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Lula will remain in Brazil because of a series of official obligations due to the arrival this afternoon of the president of China, Hu Jintao.
Brazil will be represented at the Yassar Arafat funeral by presidential Chief of Staff, José Dirceu.
In the official note from the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Brazil reaffirmed its support for the creation of a Palestinian state "that is free and sovereign, as well as peace and prosperity in the Middle East."
Agência Brasil
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