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Viewing cable 09SAOPAULO144, Media Reaction to Obama-Lula Meeting March 14 2009

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09SAOPAULO144 2009-03-16 14:47 2011-07-11 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Sao Paulo
VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0144/01 0751447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161447Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9014
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0164
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 9060
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000144 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON KMDR KPAO PREL OPRC OIIP XM XR XF BR
SUBJECT: Media Reaction to Obama-Lula Meeting March 14 2009 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  On March 14, 2009 President Obama met with 
President Lula of Brazil in Washington, D.C. at the White House and 
the meeting was covered extensively by the Brazilian media.  The 
following media reaction cable summarizes some of the Sao Paulo 
based Brazilian media reports published on Sunday, March 15.  The 
summaries focus on the economy, G-20, Sean Goldman case, the 
personal relationship between the two presidents and MFA-former 
Ambassador comments. END SUMMARY 
 
Obama and Lula Discuss Economy, Biofuels and G-20 
--------------- 
2.  (U)  Main articles in Estado and Folha emphasize the agenda 
discussed by Presidents Obama and Lula during their 2-hour meeting 
on Saturday- March 14.  According to reports, the presidents have 
asked their high-level officials to develop a joint strategy to 
combat the global economic crisis in the upcoming weeks.  The 
proposal is to be presented by the two leaders at the G-20 meeting 
in April.  "Obama's proposal to form a Brazil-U.S. group in order to 
work jointly in the G-20 was extremely important," said President 
Lula in a press conference.  Folha highlights that President Obama 
invited Chief Economic Adviser Larry Summers to participate in the 
meeting.  Folha also noted that Obama defended the goal of a global, 
coordinated action in order to counter the current world recession. 
Lula once more declared that the U.S. is largely responsible for the 
financial crisis and offered that [the U.S.] nationalizing banks is 
part of the solution. 
 
Folha states that "the alliance established between the world's 
richest nation and Latin America's largest economy around the 
economic crisis marks a new stage in the bilateral relations." 
Estado and Folha say that Obama and Lula seemed at ease and in a 
good mood, exchanging jokes throughout the joint press availability. 
 But there were also disagreements when the issue of ethanol came 
up.  Obama acknowledged that biofuels have been "a source of tension 
between the two countries."  Lula said he could not understand why a 
clean fuel such as ethanol is heavily taxed, but added: "I never 
expect an immediate answer. It is a process."  Obama agreed that the 
issue is "not going to change overnight."  According to Valor 
Econtmico, Lula stated that associating ethanol in efforts to fight 
global warming has become the most auspicious area to deepen 
U.S.-Brazil relations. 
 
According to reports, Obama and Lula committed to fighting 
protectionism and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign 
Minister Celso Amorim will meet to discuss ways to do so. But the 
presidents were pessimistic about advances in global trade.  "Our 
goal is to at least not go backwards. It may be difficult for us to 
finalize a whole host of trade deals in the midst of an economic 
crisis like this one," Obama said. 
 
Sources: Folha de S.Paulo A4: "Obama and Lula discuss action to 
combat crisis and trade tension"; O Estado de S.Paulo A4: "Lula 
meets Obama and announces joint action for G-20 summit"; O Estado de 
S.Paulo A8: "U.S. president warns that barriers to ethanol will not 
be lifted now"; Valor Economico A3 (Monday edition): "Lula-Obama 
meeting diminishes chances for Doha" 
 
Sean Goldman Case 
--------------- 
3.  (U)  Side stories say that during a press conference, President 
Lula confirmed that President Obama raised the topic of the Sean 
Goldman case.  "Obama thanked the Brazilian government's actions 
that led to the case being heard by a Brazilian federal court.  We 
hope that the judiciary does what it has to do; I am not a lawyer 
and I cannot give an opinion.  Whatever decision is reached, the 
Brazilian government will comply with it," stated Lula.  Folha also 
mentions that while President Obama and President Lula met, a group 
of supporters of David Goldman held a demonstration outside the 
White House. 
 
Sources: O Estado de S.Paulo A4: "American mentions Sean case"; 
Folha de S.Paulo A14: "Obama thanks Brazil for taking dispute over 
boy to federal court" 
 
Obama- You must be talking to my wife 
--------------- 
4.  (U)  The two Folha articles state that the meeting between 
President Obama and President Lula was surrounded by the same 
expectation from both sides: that it would mark the beginning of a 
cordial and close relationship between the two leaders.  Stories 
highlight that President Lula was the third head of state to meet 
President Obama at the White House.  Diplomats from both countries 
say the choice of meeting with Lula shows that Brazil is stable 
politically and economically; that it an undisputed leader in Latin 
America and also an emerging country in the global arena.  During 
the joint press avail, in what has been labeled a gaffe by the 
press, Lula told reporters he did not want to be holding the "hot 
potato" the U.S. president has in his hands, prompting Obama to 
laugh and tell Lula that  "it sounds  like you've been talking to my 
wife."  By-liners remembered that in 2007 President Lula caused then 
President Bush to laugh when he stated that Brazil and the U.S. had 
reached the "G-spot" of the bilateral relations. 
 
Reports also quote President Obama saying he is looking forward to 
visiting Brazil and that he is aware he has many "friends" in the 
country.  Asked about a date for the visit, Obama said nothing has 
been decided yet, but as far as destinations go, he would like to 
see the "beautiful beaches" in Rio and perhaps do to the Amazon, 
joking that Republicans probably would like to see him get lost 
there for a while. 
 
Sources: Folha de S. Paulo A8: "In the bilateral relations, out with 
the 'G-spot' and in with the 'hot potato'"; Folha de S. Paulo A8: 
"Meeting allows presidents to become close"; O Estado de S.Paulo: 
"You must be talking to my wife," jokes host. 
 
Comments from MFA and former Brazilian Ambassadors 
--------------- 
5.  (U)  Estado story states that last week when trying to summarize 
the U.S.-Brazil bilateral relations, Foreign Minister Celso Amorim 
acknowledged that the agenda has shown small progress, aside from 
the cooperation in the energy sector.  Paper says that the stall in 
relations dates to the Clinton-Cardoso era.  Estado points out that 
since Lula first met Bush in 2003 promising a successful conclusion 
to the FTAA, the trade accord fell through the cracks, the Doha 
Round 'shows no vital signs' and Brazil had no other path to 
negotiate opening of the U.S. market.  Brazil's claim for support 
towards a seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council has 
also gone unanswered, says story citing that when asked about it in 
2006, A/S Thomas Shannon "choked, took a step back, laughed and did 
not respond."  At the same time, Estado affirms that in 2005 the 
White House unsuccessfully tried to engage Brazil in a partnership 
to stop democracy from eroding in Latin America.  By refusing to 
intervene, Brazil received the White House's blessings to deal with 
regional leaders, thus consolidating its hegemony in South America. 
 
Two former Brazilian ambassadors to the U.S. --Roberto Abdenur and 
Rubens Barbosa-commented on the meeting between Presidents Obama and 
Lula.  Roberto Abdenur expressed optimism and said even if the two 
do not enjoy the same "impressive chemistry" displayed by Lula and 
Bush; the link between the two countries is determined more by 
concrete facts than by personal ties.  Abdenur also believes that 
since Brazil overcame the issue of the external debt, the U.S. 
started regarding the country as a leader with the potential to 
become a partner, thus becoming "part of the solution."  Meanwhile, 
Rubens Barbosa states that he believes the meeting will not solve 
the pending issues between the two countries, but it positions 
Brazil as a "privileged interlocutor" of the U.S. administration. 
 
Sources:  O Estado de S.Paulo A8: "Bilateral agenda suffers from 
immobility"; Folha de S. Paulo A14: "Former ambassador says meeting 
has a 'symbolic value'"; O Estado de S.Paulo A9: "'Brazil is part of 
the solution for the U.S'" 
WHITE