BRAZIL - DEMARCHE ON ITU/WTSA VETO ISSUE

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000072 SIPDIS 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: AORC ECPS ECON PGOV BR ITU SUBJECT: BRAZIL - DEMARCHE ON ITU/WTSA VETO ISSUE REF: 04 SECSTATE 264222 ¶1. In a January 5 meeting, EconOffs made reftel points to Luis Fernando Serra and Bruno Carvalho Ramos of ANATEL (Brazil's Telecommunications Regulatory Agency and the entity here responsible for ITU issues). Serra is the Head of the Office of International Affairs and a career diplomat. Ramos, an engineer by profession, is the Mobile Communications Standards Manager and ANATEL's lead on ITU. Serra and Ramos said the GoB had supported the USG during the November 2004 World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly (WTSA) in Florianopolis and continues to be aligned with the USG on the veto issue. Although ANATEL was disappointed with the results, Ramos saw little ground to overturn the decision, since, in his assessment, the Assembly has the authority to make this type of decision. Whether or not the decision could be reviewed by the Telecommunication Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG) or the ITU Counsel was a matter that would require study. ANATEL did not think the change would have any real impact on the day-to-day work of the ITU, but would be concerned if it was applied in some other way. Ramos and Serra nevertheless expressed support for USG plans to raise the veto issue at both the TSAG meeting in March 2005 and the ITU Counsel meeting in July 2005. Serra and Ramos further suggested that the USG initiate a discussion with the Executive Committee of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) so that a consensus position or proposal could be moved forward. ¶2. In an aside, Ramos told EconOffs the GoB considered the Florianopolis WTSA a success, especially in comparison with the 2002 meeting in Morocco, although more concrete progress could have been made. DANILOVICH