BRAZIL: PRIVATE SECTOR AND CENTRAL BANK DISCUSS BILAT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAO PAULO 000367 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EINV EFIN SENV BR SUBJECT: BRAZIL: PRIVATE SECTOR AND CENTRAL BANK DISCUSS BILAT RELATIONS, REFORMS, OPPORTUNITIES WITH DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR MICHAEL FROMAN, JUNE 19 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The U.S.-Brazil bilateral relationship is probably at a multi-decade high, thanks in part to institutions like the CEO Forum, which provide a flexible vehicle for the business sector to move the relationship forward, according to Sao Paulo private sector and Central Bank interlocutors who met with DNSA Michael Froman on June 19. They also told him that Brazil should be one of the first countries to emerge from the ongoing global economic crisis, though the next GOB administration still faces important pending reforms in both the economic and political arenas. China is now Brazil's number one trade partner, but also an economic competitor. According to former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergio Amaral, Brazilian stabilization forces have performed brilliantly in Haiti, showing that the GOB has assets that it can bring to the table in resolving thorny international issues. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs Michael Froman exchanged views with various private sector interlocutors and Central Bank Director in Sao Paulo on June 19. During his visit, Froman met with Sao Paulo Federation of Industries (FIESP) representatives Mario Marconini, Frederico Arana Meira, Thomas Zanotto, and UNICA representative Carolina Costa. He also met with Coteminas President and CEO Forum Brazil co-chair Josue Gomes da Silva, Brazilian Central Bank Deputy Governor for Economic Policy Mario Mesquita and former Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. and private consultant Sergio Amaral. Several themes dominated the conversations: The U.S. Relationship is Good and Getting Better ¶3. (U) All those interviewed described U.S.-Brazil bilateral relations in glowing terms. FIESP's Marconini talked about how the Brazilian business class had, in recent years, moved away from a defensive, protectionist view of the U.S. and had adopted a positive attitude toward engagement. Marconini cited FIESP President Paulo Skaf's planned upcoming trade mission to the U.S. as evidence of the eagerness of the Brazilian business class to engage. Ambassador Amaral discussed how a variety of factors -- the Lula's government's move away from a leftist-ideological foreign policy in its second term, President Obama's popularity and, above all, Brazil's growing independence from the U.S. -- all fostered greater self-confidence in Brazil and more willingness to work with the U.S. Marconini noted that in recent WTO Doha Round trade negotiations, the U.S. and Brazil positions had converged, moving the countries toward partnership promoting more open trade. He added that right now, while the world is in the grip of a global economic crisis, both Washington and Brasilia must work to fight rising protectionist pressures. ¶4. (U) One key element that various interlocutors cited in improving the U.S.-Brazil relationship was the development of new mechanisms for cooperation. In this connection, the CEO Forum came in for special praise as a breakthrough initiative. As Josue Gomes da Silva described it, the Forum allows the private sector to set a faster, more forward moving agenda, even when government bureaucracies are inclined to move more slowly. He saw possibilities for the Forum to continue to push cooperation in key areas, including negotiations for a bilateral tax treaty, a possible U.S.-Brazil agreement to import duty free products with value added from Haiti (a new idea),and increased energy cooperation. Ambassador Amaral also mentioned Haiti, stating that the Brazil U.N. Stabilization Force there had performed brilliantly in a clear demonstration that the GOB can now take on an enhanced international role in this type of operation. Brazil Strongly Positioned ¶5. (U) The majority of those interviewed saw Brazil as well positioned to become one of the first countries to emerge from the global economic recession. Central Bank Deputy Governor Mario Mesquita said that the Brazilian banking sector was in a strong position. Small banks have stabilized and the big banks are in an excellent financial position. Both Marconini and Gomes da Silva cited Brazil's strong fiscal position. ¶6. (U) Marconini observed that the ongoing crisis had turned Brazilian economic vices into virtues. In his view, the Brazilian interest rates are too high, bank spreads too wide, and trade as a percentage of GDP is too low. Nonetheless, Marconini noted, all SAO PAULO 00000367 002 OF 002 these elements had served to insulate Brazil from the ongoing economic turmoil. ¶7. (SBU) Ambassador Amaral was the lone dissenter from this generally optimistic view of Brazil's post-crisis prospects. Amaral argued that the global recession had only begun to hit Brazil, striking first the export-sensitive sectors, but that now it was spreading into the economy more generally. The government has already taken the easiest measures to stimulate the economy. Amaral predicted that the ongoing downturn would eventually cut into tax revenues, force higher government spending and undermine President Lula's sky-high popularity. (Comment: Amaral is a close advisor to Sao Paulo State Governor and leading contender for the PSDB nomination Jose Serra. PSDB observers in general have been more pessimistic on the economy, arguing that the ongoing recession could work to Serra's advantage in the campaign. Amaral is said to be a candidate for Foreign Minister in a possible future Serra Administration. End Comment.) But Challenges Remain ¶8. (U) While all interlocutors were basically bullish on Brazil, a number of them cited key areas that need reform. Marconini, for example, argued that when the recession eases, Brazil will need to work hard to reduce taxes, bank spreads, and interest rates, particularly if it is to compete with countries like China. In this connection, Mario Mesquita complained that while China is now Brazil's largest foreign trade partner, trade between the two countries follows an "old fashioned" commodities-based pattern and does not stimulate the production of value-added goods in Brazil. ¶9. (U) Mesquita, though convinced of the stability of the banking sector, said that it, too, needed to change. He observed that large Brazilian banks, accustomed to making safe, high-interest/high profit loans to the GOB are only slowly opening up their lending to private borrowers in the business sector. The GOB also needs to invest heavily in infrastructure, he said. Ambassador Amaral lamented that Brazil is not more forward-looking on the environment. He observed that green technologies constituted a lucrative future market, but thought that Brazilian hostility to environmentalists, driven by agricultural interests and a "defensive" stance on the Amazon rainforest, had blinded too many Brazilians to the opportunities offered by this new market. ¶10. (U) Mario Marconini argued that political reforms must accompany economic changes. There are too many ministries in Brasilia (34) and too many political parties (over 30),a situation that makes it difficult for even an extremely popular President like Lula to enact a comprehensive change agenda. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: These key contacts welcomed DNSA Froman's visit as continued evidence of high-level USG interest in Brazil. They, in turn, demonstrated Brazil's increasingly confident engagement and willingness to partner with the United States on the range of bilateral, regional, and international issues. End Comment. ¶12. (U) This cable was coordinated/cleared with Embassy Brasilia and DNSA Froman's office. WHITE