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O 092128Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
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INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - Media Reaction SP Weekend Edition- IMF 
strengthened by G20, Images and numbers, Smiles in London, Reasons 
for optimism about the G20, Light, finally? 04-05-2009 
 
Media Reaction Themes- Global Economy:  G-20 summit readout; 
financial market crisis; IMF 
 
Weekend Edition April 4, 5, 2009 
 
Title- IMF strengthened by G20 
 
Editorial in center-right O Estado de Sao Paulo (4-4) states:"The 
crisis did good things for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 
Its influence increased since the burst of the housing bubble, 
almost 2 years ago, and G20 Chiefs of States, gathered in London, 
emphasized its importance to fight recession and prevent new 
financial disasters....The smaller the integration of national 
governments in the regulation of financial systems, the greater will 
be IMF's role to supervise and warn....Under pressure from [U.S.] 
Congressmen and the Central Bank, the Financial Accounting Standards 
Board approved an easing of the rules...It does not seem to be a 
good start for greater discipline....It's worth it for developing 
countries, to preserve the IMF and work for its improvement, more 
than depending directly and exclusively on the financial market." 
 
Title- Images and numbers 
 
Op-ed in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-4) by Fernando Rodrigues 
comments: "The images of the [G20] meeting and the ideas produced 
for media consumption are a classic case in which one good turn 
deserves another.  [President] Lula served to the rich and the rich 
served to Lula with everything going well on the political front. 
No one knows if there will be practical measures to fight the 
crisis.  For some, this is the least relevant point.  In the case of 
Lula, the vital thing is to keep his popularity intact during the 
turbulence...." 
 
Title- Smiles in London 
 
Editorial in liberal Folha de S. Paulo (4-5) says: "The deal reached 
[in London], relatively ample, made the G20 Summit conclude with 
fireworks and sounds of official fanfare...It's always healthy, in 
the midst of so many commemorations, to maintain a spirit of 
skepticism....Excessiveness aside, the path of the world is slowly 
changing - and Brazil finds a new place in this transition." 
 
Title- Reasons for optimism about the G20 
 
Editorial in center-right O Estado de Sao Paulo (4-5) notes: "Maybe 
the most adequate evaluation criterion [for the G20] is the one that 
allows evaluating the political meaning of G20.  And in this sense, 
there are reasons for optimism....By firming itself up as a 
multilateral institution, the G20 may go through the first 
substantial change in its obsolete political architecture created 
during the midst of the horrors of the World War II and whose 
reforms have been demanded by many countries, among them Brazil." 
 
Title- Light, finally? 
 
Op-ed in center-right O Estado de Sao Paulo (4-5) by former 
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso states: "....Finally global 
leaders begin to take the right steps....Today, in face of the 
impossibility of national states controlling the financial crisis, 
the strengthening of the global order begins to take place....In 
London, leaders said they expect the economy to flow again by the 
end of 2010.  Let's hope for the best....Nevertheless, if it results 
in failure, protectionism and warlike nationalism may come back to 
the scene.  Therefore, I hope that the G20 meeting does not end up 
being a photographic opportunity." 
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