VZCZCXRO3730
PP RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0373 0611641
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021641Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8268
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 9332
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 3956
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 6312

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000373 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE TO OES/STC FOR BHOWARD 
STATE TO OES/SAT FOR RBRAIBANTI 
STATE TO OES/SAT FOR RFORD 
STATE TO G FOR PBATES 
STATE TO WHA/BSC FOR WPOPP 
STATE PLS PASS TO NIH FOR KWESTERN 
STATE PLS PASS TO HHS FOR WSTEIGER 
STATE PLS PASS TO NOAA FOR RCHACKO 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KSCA SENV TBIO TPHY EAGR ECON TRGY TSPL BR
SUBJECT: US-BRAZIL S&T MINISTERIAL COMMISSION JOINT STATEMENT 
SIGNED 
 
REF: 06 STATE 190806 
 
¶1. On February 27, 2007, U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel and Brazil's 
Deputy Science and Technology Minister, Luis Fernandes, signed the 
joint statement resulting from the July 21, 2006, U.S.-Brazil Joint 
Commission Meeting on S&T Cooperation.  The ceremony, held in 
Brazil's Foreign Ministry, was well attended by Brazil's S and T 
Ministry staff and Itamaraty. 
 
¶2. The signing represented the final step in implementing one of the 
requests made in the joint statement by Presidents Bush and Lula on 
the occasion of the visit by President Bush to Brazil, November, 
¶2005.  The document is important because it prioritizes the most 
promising areas of cooperation for the United States and Brazil for 
the future including the increasingly important areas of health, 
renewable energy and earth observation. 
 
¶3. Ambassador Sobel's remarks highlighted the fact that advances in 
science and technology resulting from our joint activities benefit 
the public in both countries, especially in the area of health. 
 
¶4.  Media coverage quoted Ambassador Sobel as stating the United 
States would like to deepen cooperation in the use of satellite data 
by U.S. and Brazilian scientists to predict weather.  The ability to 
predict droughts, floods and irregular weather phenomena faster and 
more accurately would benefit both countries, especially in the area 
of agriculture.  In a media interview following the ceremony, Deputy 
Minister Fernandes emphasized the U.S. desire to learn more about 
Brazil's earlier efforts in the development of ethanol.  Three 
additional Brazilian print media outlets ran positive coverage 
highlighting collaboration in health, renewable energy and 
bioinformatics.  A Brazil wire-service story included statistics on 
the U.S. Administration's requests for additional funding in 
research for renewable energy. 
 
¶5.  Full text of statement can be found in reftel.  For electronic 
copy: email SCI Counselor Patricia Norman at   normanpd@state.gov 
 
SOBEL