Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SAOPAULO144
2009-03-16 14:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Sao Paulo
Cable title:  

Media Reaction to Obama-Lula Meeting March 14 2009

Tags:  PGOV ECON KMDR KPAO PREL OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHSO #0144/01 0751447
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O 161447Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9014
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0164
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 9060
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000144 

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON KMDR KPAO PREL OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR
SUBJECT: Media Reaction to Obama-Lula Meeting March 14 2009

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000144

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON KMDR KPAO PREL OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR
SUBJECT: Media Reaction to Obama-Lula Meeting March 14 2009


1. (U) SUMMARY: On March 14, 2009 President Obama met with
President Lula of Brazil in Washington, D.C. at the White House and
the meeting was covered extensively by the Brazilian media. The
following media reaction cable summarizes some of the Sao Paulo
based Brazilian media reports published on Sunday, March 15. The
summaries focus on the economy, G-20, Sean Goldman case, the
personal relationship between the two presidents and MFA-former
Ambassador comments. END SUMMARY

Obama and Lula Discuss Economy, Biofuels and G-20
--------------

2. (U) Main articles in Estado and Folha emphasize the agenda
discussed by Presidents Obama and Lula during their 2-hour meeting
on Saturday- March 14. According to reports, the presidents have
asked their high-level officials to develop a joint strategy to
combat the global economic crisis in the upcoming weeks. The
proposal is to be presented by the two leaders at the G-20 meeting
in April. "Obama's proposal to form a Brazil-U.S. group in order to
work jointly in the G-20 was extremely important," said President
Lula in a press conference. Folha highlights that President Obama
invited Chief Economic Adviser Larry Summers to participate in the
meeting. Folha also noted that Obama defended the goal of a global,
coordinated action in order to counter the current world recession.
Lula once more declared that the U.S. is largely responsible for the
financial crisis and offered that [the U.S.] nationalizing banks is
part of the solution.

Folha states that "the alliance established between the world's
richest nation and Latin America's largest economy around the
economic crisis marks a new stage in the bilateral relations."
Estado and Folha say that Obama and Lula seemed at ease and in a
good mood, exchanging jokes throughout the joint press availability.
But there were also disagreements when the issue of ethanol came

up. Obama acknowledged that biofuels have been "a source of tension
between the two countries." Lula said he could not understand why a
clean fuel such as ethanol is heavily taxed, but added: "I never
expect an immediate answer. It is a process." Obama agreed that the
issue is "not going to change overnight." According to Valor
Econtmico, Lula stated that associating ethanol in efforts to fight
global warming has become the most auspicious area to deepen
U.S.-Brazil relations.

According to reports, Obama and Lula committed to fighting
protectionism and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign
Minister Celso Amorim will meet to discuss ways to do so. But the
presidents were pessimistic about advances in global trade. "Our
goal is to at least not go backwards. It may be difficult for us to
finalize a whole host of trade deals in the midst of an economic
crisis like this one," Obama said.

Sources: Folha de S.Paulo A4: "Obama and Lula discuss action to
combat crisis and trade tension"; O Estado de S.Paulo A4: "Lula
meets Obama and announces joint action for G-20 summit"; O Estado de
S.Paulo A8: "U.S. president warns that barriers to ethanol will not
be lifted now"; Valor Economico A3 (Monday edition): "Lula-Obama
meeting diminishes chances for Doha"

Sean Goldman Case
--------------

3. (U) Side stories say that during a press conference, President
Lula confirmed that President Obama raised the topic of the Sean
Goldman case. "Obama thanked the Brazilian government's actions
that led to the case being heard by a Brazilian federal court. We
hope that the judiciary does what it has to do; I am not a lawyer
and I cannot give an opinion. Whatever decision is reached, the
Brazilian government will comply with it," stated Lula. Folha also
mentions that while President Obama and President Lula met, a group
of supporters of David Goldman held a demonstration outside the
White House.

Sources: O Estado de S.Paulo A4: "American mentions Sean case";
Folha de S.Paulo A14: "Obama thanks Brazil for taking dispute over
boy to federal court"

Obama- You must be talking to my wife
--------------

4. (U) The two Folha articles state that the meeting between
President Obama and President Lula was surrounded by the same
expectation from both sides: that it would mark the beginning of a
cordial and close relationship between the two leaders. Stories
highlight that President Lula was the third head of state to meet
President Obama at the White House. Diplomats from both countries
say the choice of meeting with Lula shows that Brazil is stable
politically and economically; that it an undisputed leader in Latin
America and also an emerging country in the global arena. During
the joint press avail, in what has been labeled a gaffe by the
press, Lula told reporters he did not want to be holding the "hot
potato" the U.S. president has in his hands, prompting Obama to
laugh and tell Lula that "it sounds like you've been talking to my
wife." By-liners remembered that in 2007 President Lula caused then
President Bush to laugh when he stated that Brazil and the U.S. had
reached the "G-spot" of the bilateral relations.

Reports also quote President Obama saying he is looking forward to
visiting Brazil and that he is aware he has many "friends" in the
country. Asked about a date for the visit, Obama said nothing has
been decided yet, but as far as destinations go, he would like to
see the "beautiful beaches" in Rio and perhaps do to the Amazon,
joking that Republicans probably would like to see him get lost
there for a while.

Sources: Folha de S. Paulo A8: "In the bilateral relations, out with
the 'G-spot' and in with the 'hot potato'"; Folha de S. Paulo A8:
"Meeting allows presidents to become close"; O Estado de S.Paulo:
"You must be talking to my wife," jokes host.

Comments from MFA and former Brazilian Ambassadors
--------------

5. (U) Estado story states that last week when trying to summarize
the U.S.-Brazil bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Celso Amorim
acknowledged that the agenda has shown small progress, aside from
the cooperation in the energy sector. Paper says that the stall in
relations dates to the Clinton-Cardoso era. Estado points out that
since Lula first met Bush in 2003 promising a successful conclusion
to the FTAA, the trade accord fell through the cracks, the Doha
Round 'shows no vital signs' and Brazil had no other path to
negotiate opening of the U.S. market. Brazil's claim for support
towards a seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council has
also gone unanswered, says story citing that when asked about it in
2006, A/S Thomas Shannon "choked, took a step back, laughed and did
not respond." At the same time, Estado affirms that in 2005 the
White House unsuccessfully tried to engage Brazil in a partnership
to stop democracy from eroding in Latin America. By refusing to
intervene, Brazil received the White House's blessings to deal with
regional leaders, thus consolidating its hegemony in South America.

Two former Brazilian ambassadors to the U.S. --Roberto Abdenur and
Rubens Barbosa-commented on the meeting between Presidents Obama and
Lula. Roberto Abdenur expressed optimism and said even if the two
do not enjoy the same "impressive chemistry" displayed by Lula and
Bush; the link between the two countries is determined more by
concrete facts than by personal ties. Abdenur also believes that
since Brazil overcame the issue of the external debt, the U.S.
started regarding the country as a leader with the potential to
become a partner, thus becoming "part of the solution." Meanwhile,
Rubens Barbosa states that he believes the meeting will not solve
the pending issues between the two countries, but it positions
Brazil as a "privileged interlocutor" of the U.S. administration.

Sources: O Estado de S.Paulo A8: "Bilateral agenda suffers from
immobility"; Folha de S. Paulo A14: "Former ambassador says meeting
has a 'symbolic value'"; O Estado de S.Paulo A9: "'Brazil is part of
the solution for the U.S'"
WHITE