Blame white men with blue eyesMarch 27, 2009 - 2:15PM The global...

Blame white men with blue eyes

March 27, 2009 - 2:15PM

The global financial crisis was caused by "white people with blue eyes'', says Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Standing next to visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at a news conference in Brasilia, Mr da Silva harshly criticised the world's top economies, blaming them for sparking the crisis.

It was caused by "white people with blue eyes'' and the world's poorest nations should not have to pay for a crisis they did not create, he said.

"It's not an ideological question - the fact is that once again we find that most of the poor who have not even participated in globalisation have been the first victims of the crisis.''

As leader of Latin America's largest nation with 190 million people and the globe's ninth-largest economy, Mr da Silva has been boisterous in his calls for a new economic order, saying nations including his own deserve more say in how to restructure the world's economy.

He has long blasted the US and the European Union for tariffs and other barriers to exports from developing nations.

Mr da Silva said Mr Brown and all world leaders knew that "profound political decisions'' were necessary to stem the crisis.

Brown said he would seek feedback from Mr da Silva and other leaders of developing nations when the G20 group of nations meets in London next week.

"I welcome Brazil's commitment to play its part,'' he said.

"Other donors, multilateral development banks, private sector and export credit agencies must also step up and play their part.''

Mr da Silva added that if the world is to recover from the crisis, "It is absolutely vital ... that world trade is resumed to the benefit of all exporting and importing countries''.

AP