VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0550 2881601
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141601Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8614
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9751
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8888
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 3187

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD XM XR BR
SUBJECT: RUSSIA, VENEZUELA AND GEORGIA 
 
Russia, Venezuela and Georgia 
 
Commentary by former Ambassador Rubens Barbosa in center-right O 
Estado de S. Paulo (10-14) says: "At first sight, it seems difficult 
to find common points between these three countries, unless you 
consider the geopolitics of oil and authoritarianism of their 
presidents...Putin has re-established order, reduced criminality and 
resumed an authoritarian tradition that, put on in different ways, 
was always present in Russia since Ivan, the Terrible, until now. 
The Russian people are now more at ease and calm with hope and 
self-esteem recovered and with proud perspective of the country once 
becoming again a super power, strengthened by the richness generated 
by the high prices of energy (gas and oil)... Neither the European 
Union, for strategic reasons derived from the oil and gas dependency 
from Russia, nor the U.S., with two military fronts in Afghanistan 
and Iraq, have conditions to impose effective sanctions against 
Russia in Georgia. The postponement of [Russia's] entrance in the 
WTO seems to be the only concrete negative consequence for Russia... 
The reconciliation of Moscow with Cuba, the eventual gas 
exploitation in Bolivia, the selling of arms and recent agreements 
to develop nuclear program and the oil and gas exploitation with 
Venezuela represent not only the affirmation of the Russian State 
power, but also political and commercial opportunities that Moscow 
is taking advantage of .  The offer of a naval base made by Hugo 
Chavez to Russia will only be another exercise in rhetoric as 
opposed to a threat to the national security of the U.S...These 
facts represent more of an alert so that the political consequences 
of Venezuela's entrance in Mercosul are more closely examined by the 
[Brazilian] National Congress." 
White