Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRASILIA64
2007-01-12 17:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Brasilia
Cable title:
FRANCE MAKES BRAZIL NUMBER ONE IN LATIN AMERICA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 000064
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL BR
SUBJECT: FRANCE MAKES BRAZIL NUMBER ONE IN LATIN AMERICA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD SOBEL. REASONS: 1.4 (B)(D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 000064
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL BR
SUBJECT: FRANCE MAKES BRAZIL NUMBER ONE IN LATIN AMERICA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD SOBEL. REASONS: 1.4 (B)(D).
1. (C) French Ambassador to Brazil Antoine Pouillieute met
with Ambassador Sobel on January 9, 2007 for a surprisingly
frank and substantive conversation. Key themes from the
meeting are reported below.
BRAZIL -- THE NEW FRENCH PRIORITY
2. (C) Pouillieute noted that his government has a
complicated relationship with Brazil and had recently decided
to make Brazil France's largest and most important embassy in
Latin America. His government has upgraded its presence in
Brazil to 110 French nationals, thereby surpassing the French
contingent in Mexico. Some of France's most successful and
promising recent endeavors with Brazil have been in the area
of military sales, where Pouillieute said the potential for
sale of additional future French military equipment (NFI) is
quite good.
3. (C) Pouillieute commented that the EU's efforts in Brazil
are not united and that each EU Country is pursuing its own
aims in Brazil separately. He commented that he had little
faith in the EU-Mercosul free trade negotiations, confirming
that they basically boiled down to what will likely be a
biofuels deal. In addition he speculated that even though
Venezuela is not yet disruptive to Mercosul, it probably will
be in the future and that it is critical to Brazil for
Venezuela to become a full member.
FOREIGN POLICY
4. (C) Regarding broader Brazilian foreign policy issues,
France has actually found a way to work within Brazil's
stated south-south policy focus, using common interests in
Africa as a key foundation. That said, Pouillieute admitted
that the French were often frustrated with Brazil: the
Brazilians had often been duplicitous, pointing out to
African countries that they were natural allies given their
common colonial past and reminding these countries that
France had once exploited them. The French Ambassador was
incredulous that the Brazilians could think that such
comments would not eventually get back to the French. Another
source of frustration for the French Ambassador is that the
Brazilian foreign ministry (MRE) will often sideline some
long-planned official French VIP visit to instead focus on
some competing visit by a minor African visitor. This baffled
Pouillietute.
5. (C) Changing topics, Pouillieute said that Brazilian
Foreign Minister Celso Amorim apparently has planned
extensively for transition in Cuba, and knew exactly what
Brazil's role would be in post-Castro scenarios on the island
(NFI). Pouillieute also offered that there might be room for
tripartite cooperation on law enforcement issues. (Note: US
LEA's do not currently engage French counterparts on local
efforts.) Finally, he expressed his amazement at the lengths
Brazil was going to try to cultivate China.
Sobel
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PREL BR
SUBJECT: FRANCE MAKES BRAZIL NUMBER ONE IN LATIN AMERICA
Classified By: AMBASSADOR CLIFFORD SOBEL. REASONS: 1.4 (B)(D).
1. (C) French Ambassador to Brazil Antoine Pouillieute met
with Ambassador Sobel on January 9, 2007 for a surprisingly
frank and substantive conversation. Key themes from the
meeting are reported below.
BRAZIL -- THE NEW FRENCH PRIORITY
2. (C) Pouillieute noted that his government has a
complicated relationship with Brazil and had recently decided
to make Brazil France's largest and most important embassy in
Latin America. His government has upgraded its presence in
Brazil to 110 French nationals, thereby surpassing the French
contingent in Mexico. Some of France's most successful and
promising recent endeavors with Brazil have been in the area
of military sales, where Pouillieute said the potential for
sale of additional future French military equipment (NFI) is
quite good.
3. (C) Pouillieute commented that the EU's efforts in Brazil
are not united and that each EU Country is pursuing its own
aims in Brazil separately. He commented that he had little
faith in the EU-Mercosul free trade negotiations, confirming
that they basically boiled down to what will likely be a
biofuels deal. In addition he speculated that even though
Venezuela is not yet disruptive to Mercosul, it probably will
be in the future and that it is critical to Brazil for
Venezuela to become a full member.
FOREIGN POLICY
4. (C) Regarding broader Brazilian foreign policy issues,
France has actually found a way to work within Brazil's
stated south-south policy focus, using common interests in
Africa as a key foundation. That said, Pouillieute admitted
that the French were often frustrated with Brazil: the
Brazilians had often been duplicitous, pointing out to
African countries that they were natural allies given their
common colonial past and reminding these countries that
France had once exploited them. The French Ambassador was
incredulous that the Brazilians could think that such
comments would not eventually get back to the French. Another
source of frustration for the French Ambassador is that the
Brazilian foreign ministry (MRE) will often sideline some
long-planned official French VIP visit to instead focus on
some competing visit by a minor African visitor. This baffled
Pouillietute.
5. (C) Changing topics, Pouillieute said that Brazilian
Foreign Minister Celso Amorim apparently has planned
extensively for transition in Cuba, and knew exactly what
Brazil's role would be in post-Castro scenarios on the island
(NFI). Pouillieute also offered that there might be room for
tripartite cooperation on law enforcement issues. (Note: US
LEA's do not currently engage French counterparts on local
efforts.) Finally, he expressed his amazement at the lengths
Brazil was going to try to cultivate China.
Sobel