MEDIA REACTION - WESTERN HEMISPHERE: COLOMBIA, GLOBAL

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000472 SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - WESTERN HEMISPHERE: COLOMBIA, GLOBAL ECONOMY: CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT; SCO PAULO August 5, 2009 Title- The theme of Uribe's trip Editorial in center-right O Estado de S.Paulo (8-5) says: "Foreign Minister Celso Amorim sided with Hugo Chavez [Brazil's] and complained that the Colombian government did not consult neighboring countries before signing a [military forces] deal with the U.S.....The fact is that Hugo Chavez needed to divert international public opinion away from the events that are happening in his country and the story about the U.S. bases in Colombia worked well.....The Brazilian government questioned the U.S. and Colombian governments about something that regards their own sovereignty. But it [Brazil] does not question the Chavez government when it acts against fundamental freedom.....That's how Brazil chooses its companions." Title- Uncertain climate Main editorial in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (8-5) states: "Copenhagen's summit.....on climate change, aimed at producing a treaty that succeeds and goes beyond the Kyoto Protocol, is only four months ahead. There are a few reasons to believe that such a goal [succeeding Kyoto] may not be accomplished, giving room to the adoption of a weak deal or to the postponement of negotiations. One of these reasons is the indefiniteness of Brazil's government, a country which by all accounts has a decisive role [to play]....the Lula administration's shyness on this issue was placed in evidence yesterday, with diplomacy, by the British Minister of Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband, who is visiting Brazil....." WHITE