Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BRASILIA1813
2005-07-08 17:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brasilia
Cable title:  

BRAZIL - SECOND DEMARCHE ON ITU/WTSA VETO ISSUE

Tags:  ECPS AORC ECON ITU 
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UNCLAS BRASILIA 001813 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/CIP/AJILLSON
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USCS/OIO/WH/RD/DDEVITO/DANDERSON/EOL SON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS AORC ECON ITU
SUBJECT: BRAZIL - SECOND DEMARCHE ON ITU/WTSA VETO ISSUE

REF: (A) SECSTATE 124476, (B) BRASILIA 072

UNCLAS BRASILIA 001813

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/CIP/AJILLSON
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USCS/OIO/WH/RD/DDEVITO/DANDERSON/EOL SON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS AORC ECON ITU
SUBJECT: BRAZIL - SECOND DEMARCHE ON ITU/WTSA VETO ISSUE

REF: (A) SECSTATE 124476, (B) BRASILIA 072


1. (U) In a July 7 meeting, EconOff made Ref A points to
Luis Fernando Serra, Joao Carlos Albernaz, Bruno Carvalho
Ramos, and Luiz Fernando Ferreira Silva of ANATEL (Brazil's
Telecommunications Regulatory Agency and the entity here
responsible for ITU issues). The GOB continues to be
aligned with the USG on the veto issue as a matter of
principle (see Ref B on previous demarche). ANATEL was not
happy with the change in the veto procedures, Bruno
reiterated, but recognizes that the decision was made in the
Assembly and considers the outcome better than other
proposals for even more than two countries in order to veto
a decision. ANATEL, however, does not think that raising
the issue with either the Telecommunication Standardization
Advisory Group (TSAG) or the ITU Council is the best forum.
The ANATEL representatives argued that the ITU should see
what impact, if any, the change may have on ITU operations,
and then, if justified, concerned countries could consider
proposing a return to the previous single country veto
during the next Assembly.


2. (U) Serra said that ANATEL did not agree with the four
USG-proposed Council actions in Ref A, but might reluctantly
agree to have the issue forwarded to a Plenipotentiary
Conference for discussion. The ANATEL officials, however,
see many risks in this strategy. They noted that the vote
during the previous Assembly was specific to the Alternative
Approval Process (AAP),but that the change could be applied
more broadly during a Plenipotentiary. In addition, they
noted that there is pressure, from the European Union in
particular, to expand voting rights to the private sector,
which the GOB opposes for two reasons: first, because the
GOB sees the ITU as a governmental forum, and second,
because it would dramatically increase the voting power of
the "first world" where the telecommunications industry is
more highly concentrated. If the USG pushes on the single
country veto issue during a Plenipotentiary, however, the
ANATEL officials feared that the necessary political trade-
off to achieve that end would be the expansion of voting
rights. The ANATEL officials also expressed concern that
presenting the issue in a Plenipotentiary may backfire
because the Plenipotentiary reaches decisions by voting (not
consensus) and a significant number of countries supported
the change in veto procedures during the Assembly.


3. (U) While acknowledging reftel points, Serra and Albernaz
requested that the U.S. delegation explain precisely why the
USG believes the Council is the appropriate forum to reverse
the change in AAP veto procedures. The GOB delegation also
wishes to discuss the risks involved in a Plenipotentiary
Conference and suggested that Executive Committee of the
Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) meeting
during the week may be a good opportunity for that
discussion.


4. (U) The ANATEL delegation to the ITU Council meeting the
week of July 11 will consist of ANATEL Director Jose Leite
Pereira Filho, International Affairs Coordinator Luis
Fernando Serra, and Technical Advisory Division Chief Joao
Carlos Albernaz. Ramos is the Mobile Communications
Standards Manager and ANATEL's lead on normalization issues
at ITU. Luiz Fernando Ferreira Silva is ANATEL's General
Manager of Planning and Regulation, and participated in the
TSAG meetings in March.

SIPDIS

CHICOLA