VZCZCXRO9936
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #1119 1571838
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061838Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5654
INFO RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 2213
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 7118
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 4908

UNCLAS BRASILIA 001119 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECPS KSCA BR
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GPS IN BRAZIL 
 
REF: A)04 BRASILIA 01396, B)04 SAO PAULO 01303 
 
¶1. Summary: Mission Brazil is facilitating the participation of 
NOAA's Jason Kim, Senior Policy Analyst in NOAA's Office of Space 
Commercialization, as a speaker in the GEOBrasil Summit scheduled 
for July 18-20 in Sao Paulo, and is supporting the GIWG (GPS 
International Working Group) in gathering information to evaluate 
the possibility of setting up a GPS information center in country. 
End of Summary 
 
¶2. Background: Since the end of 2003, Mission Brazil has worked with 
the Bureau (OES) in a variety of endeavors to promote the use of GPS 
in Brazil, including supporting a high level U.S. delegation, led by 
DAS Lee Morin in May 2004, to talk with key GoB counterparts in Sao 
Paulo and Brasilia (reftel A) and holding a GPS conference at the 
American Chamber of Commerce in Sao Paulo in September 2004.(reftel 
B)  Although both visits provided an opportunity for face-to-face 
dialogue with GoB interlocuters, they did not move the Brazilians 
toward a final decision. During these meetings, the delegation 
presented the GoB with a proposed text for a non-binding statement 
of cooperation in the use of GPS, which called for cooperative 
endeavors to maximize the user-potential of GPS and help cement it 
as a worldwide standard.  Subsequent meetings between Emboffs and 
the GoB revealed that the Brazilian Foreign Ministry had no interest 
in signing. END OF BACKGROUND. 
 
¶3. Post is eager to continue its work with Washington's GIWG to help 
define a plan to support and disseminate GPS in Latin America and 
Brazil through non-governmental means.  Principal among these 
measures is the effort to institute a GPS infrmation center in 
Brazil, to monitor the politicl and economic climate related to GPS 
and to counter a stream of misinformation perpetrated byproponents 
of the European Union's new positionin standard, Galileo. 
 
¶4. As part of this strategy, Post has been organizing USG 
participation in the GEOBrasil - 7th International Geoinformation 
Congress and Exhibition, scheduled for this July 18-20 in Sao Paulo. 
Jason Kim will participate in a forum on GPS, GLONASS and Galileo 
(the world's 3 competing global positioning standards). In addition 
to participating in the forum, the summit's organizers are 
contemplating inviting Mr. Kim to be a keynote speaker to discuss 
"Tendencies and Future Expectations for GPS."  GEOBrasil, supported 
by Alcantara Machado Trade Fairs, is Latin America's principal Forum 
and trade fair concerned with Geospatial imaging, global 
positioning, and other related technologies and will be attended by 
scientists, politicians and industry representatives from throughout 
Latin America. 
 
¶5. On another front, Dan Salvano, Director of the FAA's Navigation 
Services Division and a member of the GIWG, met with a Brazilian 
group, the Foundation for Defense Services and Technology Processes 
(SDTP) during a visit to Rio de Janeiro in March 06.  Salvano was 
following up on the SDTP's offer to develop a GPS information center 
in Brazil.  The GIWG views this meeting and subsequent interactions 
positively and believes that it would be beneficial to continue 
discussions with the SDTP. Consulate Rio officers are providing the 
GIWG with necessary information in support of this objective. 
 
¶6. Comment: Convincing the GoB to formally adopt the GPS system is a 
Mission priority, and Post believes Mr. Kim's participation in the 
July conference will offer an excellent opportunity to move us 
forward by disseminating positive information about GPS to a large 
demographic of interested parties, throughout Latin America. End 
Comment 
 
CHICOLA