VZCZCXRO2837
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #2131/01 2791839
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061839Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6944
INFO RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 3080
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 8300
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 5633

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE TO OES/PCI FOR LSPERLING 
STATE TO OES/ETC EFOX, CDAWSON 
STATE TO WHA/BSC FOR WPOPP 
STATE TO OES/STC FOR RDRISCOLL 
STATE TO G FOR CCONNORS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO KSCA BR
SUBJECT:  BRAZIL'S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION 
INITIATIVES 
 
REF: (A) BRASILIA 1292, (B) STATE 140401 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Post presented points in reftel A to Brazil's Ministry 
of the Environment(MMA). MMA understands that despite limited 
resources at this time, the USG is willing to begin outlining plans 
for technical support. MMA agreed to work through the Common Agenda 
for the Environment (CAE) framework.  A Government of Brazil 
decision on participation in the Coalition Against Wildlife 
Trafficking (CAWT) may not be announced until the ministerial-level 
meeting planned for early next year. END SUMMARY. 
 
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Framework for Cooperation 
------------ 
¶2. Bureau's response to Brazil's request for technical cooperation 
(reftel B) was delivered belatedly due to MMA involvement in the 
final weeks of Brazil's presidential elections.  Post spoke with 
Fernando Lyrio e Silva, Director of International Relations, at MMA. 
Lyrio agreed to use the CAE as a framework for the collaboration, 
although Post did not take this as a commitment that MMA would not 
renew their request for an MOU somewhere down the line.  He 
supported the concept of creating working or "ad hoc" groups through 
which the actual work would be planned, with the CAE serving as a 
vehicle for reporting and oversight. 
 
¶3.  Post suggested the creation of work plans to satisfy the MMA 
desire for a written document to "tie together" priorities and 
objectives for each area of work.  These work plans could be under 
the cover of letters of understanding signed by the Under Secretary 
and her Brazilian counterpart. 
 
¶4.  Lyrio noted that the CAE was organized by Itamaraty, the 
Brazilian foreign ministry, and in the past it had discouraged the 
use of the CAE as a forum for technical discussions. 
 
¶5.  Post believes part of Lyrio's concern about getting a plan down 
on paper has its roots in the political situation in Brazil.  He 
hinted that he may not retain his post after January 2007, even if 
the current Brazilian President wins reelection.  (NOTE: In Brazil's 
presidential election held October 1, the current Administration 
came out just short of the votes needed for a clean win.  A second 
runoff election will be held on October 29.) Lyrio has been the 
driving force in MMA toward collaboration with the United States. 
 
¶6.  Post also presented to Bernardo Velloso, Chief of the 
Environment division at Itamaraty, the proposed list of areas for 
technical collaboration proposed by MMA, and suggested that these 
collaborations may be an agenda item at the next CAE.  Velloso said 
Itamaraty always wants to be aware of the substance of technical 
discussions but geared the agenda of the CAE toward policy issues. 
 
 
-------------- 
Anti-Trafficking in Wildlife 
-------------- 
¶7. In conversations regarding the decision to join CAWT, Velloso 
informed Post that it is Brazil's intent to engage in the processes 
of internal discussion between now and the November CAWT meeting in 
London where Brazil plans to participate in the debate.  Velloso 
said that an announcement could be made at the CAWT ministerial 
event planned for early next year.  In separate conversations with 
the Ministry of the Environment on CAWT, Fernando Lyrio, said the 
Ministry, including IBAMA, had satisfied any concerns it had (in 
part due to the informative September DVC hosted by OES/ETC) but the 
final decision rested with the foreign ministry. 
 
¶8. The previously scheduled U.S. Fish and Wildlife training for 
Brazilian federal police is on track to take place October 16-27, 
2006, in the Pantanal and as noted in reftel, forensics will be 
given special emphasis. 
 
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Chemicals 
------------------ 
¶9. EPA International Relations Specialist Luis Fernandez, 
accompanied by Scioff Matt Golden, met with Marilia Cerqueira, 
Director of the Ministry of Environment's (MMA) Office of Chemicals 
Management to discuss MMA's support for an EPA-administered UNEP 
mercury partnership project in Brazil.  Although Cerqueira began the 
meeting in a confrontational manner, fronting a position that 
without an MOU the MMA could not undertake the project with a USG 
counterpart, her position evolved over the course of the 
conversation to one of strong support for the technical cooperation 
package.  Cooperation from the MMA on the UNEP Mercury Partnership 
 
BRASILIA 00002131  002 OF 002 
 
 
appears to be finally on course. 
 
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Parks and Protected Areas 
--------- 
¶10. In 2005, this office, working with U.S. Embassy Brasilia PA, 
scheduled the visit of a National Park Service (NPS) concessions 
director to visit Brazil, as part of a Post-developed package of 
technical assistance for the MMA.  This support had been requested 
specifically by Brazil's Environment Minister Silva during her 2005 
visit to Teton National Park and subsequent discussions with Don 
Murphy, NPS deputy director.  This outstanding speaker, Cindy 
Orlando, visited Brasilia September 18-19 and consulted with MMA 
about ways of sharing best practices in this period of extremely 
limited resources.  Using this expertise, coupled with advice given 
by Michelle Zweede, U.S. Forest Service, who spent time in Brazil 
earlier this year, Post hopes to find a way to fund exchange visits 
for park directors and other key employees.  Post will also take 
advantage of the visit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service team 
scheduled to arrive in Brasilia next week to come up with creative 
ways to collaborate.  Post will work closely with the Bureau in the 
development of future activities. 
 
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Water and Wetlands Management 
---------------- 
¶11. Post would be delighted to have Bureau support in re-scheduling 
the visit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Brazil to consult 
on water management issues.  We have passed to MMA the information 
on the wetland capacity building resources of RAMSAR Regional Center 
for Training and Research on Wetlands. 
 
---------------- 
Repatriation of Species 
---------------- 
¶12. Post will send a separate cable on the informal request by MMA 
to open talks on repatriation of U.S. species found illegally in 
Brazil. 
 
¶13. COMMENT: Post will continue to work with the Bureau to 
facilitate scheduling of the next CAE since all work to establish a 
work plan to map out future bilateral collaboration on these issues 
will begin with that meeting.  Post welcomes guidance on next steps 
on CAWT. 
 
SOBEL