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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001990 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BR
SUBJECT: Ambassador Sobel Visits Chamber of Deputies Foreign 
Relations and National Defense Committee 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  Ambassador Sobel met with members of the Chamber 
of Deputies Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee on 
October 2 for a wide-ranging discussion that included the 
U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum, Burma, Cuba, Darfur, Iran, Haiti, tourism, 
and other topics.  Members expressed interest in discussing Burma, 
Cuba, and Iran with their U.S. counterparts.  End summary. 
 
CEO Forum 
--------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Meeting with the Committee just nine days before the first 
U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum and the visit of Commerce Secretary Carlos 
Gutierrez and National Economic Council Director Allan Hubbard, 
Ambassador Sobel said the CEO Forum could be an important part of 
the U.S. Brazil bilateral relationship and encouraged the Committee 
to invite Brazilian CEOs to explain what the Brazilian business 
sector would like to accomplish in the CEO forum.  He said the 
atmosphere in Washington is very favorable to expanding contacts and 
engagement with Brazil. 
 
Congressional Exchanges 
----------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Chairman Vieira da Cunha welcomed the Ambassador's 
confirmation of a visit by members of the House Western Hemisphere 
Affairs Subcommittee, currently scheduled for Nov 25-Dec. 1, and 
said the committee, too, is interested in fostering bilateral 
congressional exchanges. 
 
Burma, Cuba, Iran, Darfur, Haiti 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) In that context, Deputy Gabeira said he would like to see 
the two committees develop a relationship to discuss regional issues 
such as Burma, where he favors sanctions that would be narrowly 
targeted at the military regime.  Gabeira also noted his interest 
talking with his American counterparts about Cuba transition and 
Iran.  Gabeira expressed concern that Iranian President Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad is seeking to expand his support base through closer 
relations with Venezuela and Bolivia.  Chairman Vieira da Cunha said 
the Committee had recently heard from two Brazilian MINUSTAH 
commanders and members would like to visit Haiti. 
 
NATO 
---- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Ambassador spoke of possible Brazilian affiliation with 
the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the NATO Global Partnership; 
Gabeira agreed that this was a good idea.  He added that Brazil must 
address the challenge of Darfur, where it has been invited to play a 
greater role.  Gabeira asked the Ambassador what response he had 
received from the GOB on his recent speech proposing Brazilian 
membership in the NATO Global Partnership.  Ambassador said he was 
encouraged that FM Celso Amorim had told a European ambassador he 
would like to learn more about it. 
 
Tourism 
------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Gabeira noted that he and other deputies have been trying to 
encourage more U.S. visitors to Brazil by eliminating or greatly 
reducing the USD 100 visa fee and to enable online visa applications 
so applicants will not have to travel to a Brazilian consulate. 
(Note: The Chamber has not yet considered legislation on visa fee 
reduction.  Legislation to abolish visas for American tourists has 
also been introduced in the Chamber and Senate but has not been 
brought up for a vote; passage is uncertain. End note.)  Ambassador 
said he has been working with U.S. airlines to increase flights to 
Brazil, particularly to the northeast, and Institutional Relations 
Minister Walfrido Mares Guia and Tourism Secretary Marta Suplicy are 
both very engaged on tourism. 
 
Participants 
------------ 
 
¶7.  (U) Brazil 
Carlos Eduardo Vieira da Cunha, chairman (PDT, Democratic Labor 
Party, governing coalition; Rio Grande do Sul) 
Fernando Gabeira (PV, Green Party, governing coalition; Rio de 
Janeiro) 
Colbert Martins (PMDB, Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, 
governing coalition; Bahia) 
 
BRASILIA 00001990  002 OF 002 
 
 
Iris de Araujo (PMDB, Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, governing 
coalition; Goias) 
William Woo (PSDB, Brazilian Social Democracy Party, opposition; Sao 
Paulo) 
Claudio Cajado (DEM, Democrats, opposition; Bahia) 
 
U.S. 
Ambassador Sobel 
Stephen Liston, political counselor 
Dale Prince, political officer (notetaker) 
 
SOBEL