VZCZCXRO0811
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0322 0751726
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161726Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3804
INFO RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9245
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7437
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3726

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000322 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/IPA ANDREW LENTZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM PTER EUN BR
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON BRAZIL'S SHARM AL SHEIKH PLEDGE 
 
REF: STATE 020388 
 
¶1. (U) On 10 March, poloff delivered reftel talking points to 
Counselor Claudio Cesar Nascimento, chief of the Middle East 
Division I of the Ministry of External Relations (MRE). 
Nascimento  confirmed the USD 10 million pledge made by 
Foreign Minister Amorim at Sharm al-Sheikh, Egypt, and noted 
that it is subject to congressional approval, which is 
already being sought on an urgent basis.  In addition to the 
USD 10 million, Brazil will also contribute another share 
through its portion of the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) 
forum's pledge of about USD 1 million. 
 
¶2. (U) Nascimento also said that there will be no 
pre-determined criteria for disbursement of the funds; 
instead it will be determined by agreements made between the 
Palestinian Authority and the Brazilian government that are 
still to be worked out.  At least part of the funding likely 
will be provided in the form of food and medical aid or 
technical cooperation coordinated through the Brazilian 
Agency for Cooperation (equivalent to USAID).  He noted that 
on the prior occasion when Brazil donated funds to the 
Palestinian Authority (Brazil pledged USD 10 million during 
the December 2007 Paris donors conference) the funding was 
quickly approved, so that by June of 2008 the funding had 
been completely disbursed to the Palestinians and used in the 
areas of education, agriculture and health.  Nascimento added 
that MRE's intention is for the new pledge to be approved and 
disbursed with equal speed.  (Note: The bill was introduced 
on March 2 and has been referred to several committees, where 
it awaits further action. The text of the bill places no 
strings on how the funding can be disbursed.  End note.) 
KUBISKE