VZCZCXRO1889
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0931/01 1311840
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111840Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5352
INFO RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE PRIORITY 4746
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 2044
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 6926
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA PRIORITY 0125
RUEHTO/AMEMBASSY MAPUTO PRIORITY 0084
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0107
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1488

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000931 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND BPOPP 
STATE FOR S/GAC/JKOLKER AND MDYBUL 
STATE PLS PASS TO HHS/OGHA FOR BSTEIGER 
STATE FOR IO/T 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/SAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV KIPR TBIO KSCA EAID BR
SUBJECT:  BRAZIL'S MINISTER OF HEALTH RESPONDS POSITIVELY ON FUTURE 
BILATERAL COOPERATION 
 
REFS: A) STATE 054354, B) 2005 BRASILIA 2729, C) BRASILIA 858 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Charge Phillip T. Chicola delivered the demarche 
on cooperation on HIV/AIDS and other areas (ref A) to Brazil's 
Minister of Health Jose Agenor Alvares da Silva on May 9. The Charge 
referenced former Health Minister Saraiva's proposals for increased 
bilateral collaboration offered during his visit to the United 
States in February 2006 and noted the stark contrast between the 
positive bilateral agenda proposed by Minister Saraiva and the 
subsequent negative attacks against U.S. policy on HIV/AIDS and 
prostitution delivered by the (now former) Director of the Brazil 
HIV/AIDS program, Pedro Chequer. Minister Alvares da Silva stated 
that the proposals made by former Minister Saraiva regarding 
collaboration with the United States are the only official position 
of the Ministry of Health, and still reflect its objectives. The 
Minister added that the statements made Chequer reflected only 
Chequer's personal views and were made as a private citizen, and 
that his statements did not represent the views of the Government of 
Brazil (GOB). Minister Alvares da Silva expressed his ministry's 
desire to move forward on bilateral health collaboration and focus 
on the areas in which cooperation is possible. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) On May 9, Embassy Brasilia Charge d'Affaires Phillip T. 
Chicola delivered ref A demarche to Brazil's Minister of Health Jose 
Agenor Alvares da Silva.  In addition to the Minister, the meeting 
was attended by Chief of International Relations Santiago Alcazar; 
Director of the Brazilian National HIV/AIDS Program Dr. Mariangela 
Simao and the Director of the Department of Distance Learning, 
Department of Education, Espartaco Madureira Coelho. Accompanying 
Charge Chicola was Embassy Health Counselor Patricia Norman and 
Special Assistant Jared Banks. 
 
¶3. (SBU) While the atmosphere at the meeting was welcoming, the 
conversation was initially, and intentionally, somber, reflecting 
the seriousness we attach to the issues. In delivering the message, 
Chicola emphasized that the good will established by the positive 
message of former Health Minister Saraiva, who proposed increased 
bilateral cooperation during his visit to the United States in 
February 2006, was shattered by the subsequent negative attacks 
against U.S. policies on HIV/AIDS and prostitution made by the 
former Director of Brazil's HIV/AIDS program, Pedro Chequer. The 
attacks were so aggressive that, in effect, they blocked any 
possibility for a real dialogue on the issue. Given that negative 
attitude, Chicola asked the Minister to clarify the Ministry's 
position on future bilateral cooperation on HIV/AIDS and other 
areas. 
 
¶4. (U) In response, Minister Alvares da Silva said he wanted to make 
three points. First, the Minister stated that the proposals put 
forward by former Minister Saraiva are the official position of the 
GOB's Ministry of Health, and that nothing had changed in that 
regard. Second, the Minister said that the statements made by Pedro 
Chequer did not represent neither the GOB's nor the Ministry's views 
and were made in his capacity as a private citizen.  Those 
statements, the Minister repeated, do not reflect the policy of the 
GOB. Third, the Minister stated that Brazil would like to move 
forward in the areas of mutual interest, including those suggested 
by former Minister Saraiva (noted in reftel) and HIV/AIDS.  Dr. 
Coelho said Brazil wants to sustain work in the areas of cooperation 
we have already established and put the past behind us. He stated 
that in the future, the GOB would exercise caution when speaking out 
about areas in which our policies differ and maintain the focus on 
areas where we can work together. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Although the demarche began on a somber note, the 
response by the Ministry was unexpectedly positive and encouraging. 
They stated that the "smoke had blown over" and now it was time to 
focus on areas in which we can cooperate. This message was further 
reinforced when the same day the Ministry announced that it had come 
to an amicable negotiated settlement with Gilead Sciences, a U.S. 
supplier of HIV anti-retroviral drugs to the GOB. A mere twelve 
months ago, Chequer (and other Ministry officials) had threaten 
Gilead, Abbott Labs, and Merck with compulsory licensing of their 
products if the companies did not share their formulae with the GOB 
(ref B). With an agreement with Abbott Laboratories already in 
place, it now only remains for the Ministry to come to an accord 
with Merck -- though Merck's Sao Paulo-based reps seem confident 
that this will eventually occur. 
 
BRASILIA 00000931  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Minister's excuse for the former HIV/AIDS director's 
comments are weak and, in fact represent a fundamental problem that 
exists at all levels of the GOB -- the inability (or unwillingness) 
to enforce internal discipline, especially when it comes to the 
public airing of policy differences.  The most recent example being 
a public argument between the Foreign Minster and President Lula's 
National Security Advisor about aspects of the Bolivia problem. 
 
¶7. (SBU) In an effort to further distance themselves from the former 
HIV/AIDS director, post was told informally that Chequer was 
actually on loan from the United Nations, with one hundred percent 
of his salary paid by that organization. In the end, the damage was 
done and, as Chicola informed the Minister, the USAID HIV/AIDS 
program will be discontinued. Minister Alvares da Silva's was given 
an interim appointment, and it is rumored that his brief tenure is 
coming to a close. Post has no sense at this point of who might 
replace him. Nevertheless, we were encouraged by their strong 
statements of putting the past behind us and strengthening our 
cooperation in areas of mutual interest. END COMMENT. 
 
¶8. (U) Post seeks guidance from Washington on future engagement with 
GOB on this issue. 
 
CHICOLA