Ambassador Sobel Visits Chamber of Deputies Foreign

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001990 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BR SUBJECT: Ambassador Sobel Visits Chamber of Deputies Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee ¶1. (U) Summary. Ambassador Sobel met with members of the Chamber of Deputies Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee on October 2 for a wide-ranging discussion that included the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum, Burma, Cuba, Darfur, Iran, Haiti, tourism, and other topics. Members expressed interest in discussing Burma, Cuba, and Iran with their U.S. counterparts. End summary. CEO Forum -------------- ¶2. (U) Meeting with the Committee just nine days before the first U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum and the visit of Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and National Economic Council Director Allan Hubbard, Ambassador Sobel said the CEO Forum could be an important part of the U.S. Brazil bilateral relationship and encouraged the Committee to invite Brazilian CEOs to explain what the Brazilian business sector would like to accomplish in the CEO forum. He said the atmosphere in Washington is very favorable to expanding contacts and engagement with Brazil. Congressional Exchanges -------------- ¶3. (U) Chairman Vieira da Cunha welcomed the Ambassador's confirmation of a visit by members of the House Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee, currently scheduled for Nov 25-Dec. 1, and said the committee, too, is interested in fostering bilateral congressional exchanges. Burma, Cuba, Iran, Darfur, Haiti -------------- ¶4. (U) In that context, Deputy Gabeira said he would like to see the two committees develop a relationship to discuss regional issues such as Burma, where he favors sanctions that would be narrowly targeted at the military regime. Gabeira also noted his interest talking with his American counterparts about Cuba transition and Iran. Gabeira expressed concern that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is seeking to expand his support base through closer relations with Venezuela and Bolivia. Chairman Vieira da Cunha said the Committee had recently heard from two Brazilian MINUSTAH commanders and members would like to visit Haiti. NATO -------------- ¶5. (U) The Ambassador spoke of possible Brazilian affiliation with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the NATO Global Partnership; Gabeira agreed that this was a good idea. He added that Brazil must address the challenge of Darfur, where it has been invited to play a greater role. Gabeira asked the Ambassador what response he had received from the GOB on his recent speech proposing Brazilian membership in the NATO Global Partnership. Ambassador said he was encouraged that FM Celso Amorim had told a European ambassador he would like to learn more about it. Tourism -------------- ¶6. (U) Gabeira noted that he and other deputies have been trying to encourage more U.S. visitors to Brazil by eliminating or greatly reducing the USD 100 visa fee and to enable online visa applications so applicants will not have to travel to a Brazilian consulate. (Note: The Chamber has not yet considered legislation on visa fee reduction. Legislation to abolish visas for American tourists has also been introduced in the Chamber and Senate but has not been brought up for a vote; passage is uncertain. End note.) Ambassador said he has been working with U.S. airlines to increase flights to Brazil, particularly to the northeast, and Institutional Relations Minister Walfrido Mares Guia and Tourism Secretary Marta Suplicy are both very engaged on tourism. Participants -------------- ¶7. (U) Brazil Carlos Eduardo Vieira da Cunha, chairman (PDT, Democratic Labor Party, governing coalition; Rio Grande do Sul) Fernando Gabeira (PV, Green Party, governing coalition; Rio de Janeiro) Colbert Martins (PMDB, Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, governing coalition; Bahia) BRASILIA 00001990 002 OF 002 Iris de Araujo (PMDB, Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, governing coalition; Goias) William Woo (PSDB, Brazilian Social Democracy Party, opposition; Sao Paulo) Claudio Cajado (DEM, Democrats, opposition; Bahia) U.S. Ambassador Sobel Stephen Liston, political counselor Dale Prince, political officer (notetaker) SOBEL