VZCZCXRO9243
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0755 1661915
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 151915Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4490
INFO RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9646
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7856
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 4201
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0070

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 000755 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CCA GABRIELA ZAMBRANO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2019 
TAGS: PREL ETRD ETTC BR CU
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: RESPONSE TO TITLE III REQUEST 
 
REF: STATE 48487 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Marie D'Amour, Reason 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Post responses to reftel A questions follow: 
 
Question 1):  Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked 
to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in 
Cuba? 
 
Post Response to Question 1):  Yes, high level Brazilian 
officials, including Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and 
Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President Marco Aurelio Garcia 
in conversations with U.S. officials have stated that Brazil 
engages the Cuban Government on human rights and democracy 
behind closed doors.  The Brazilian Government position is 
that it will have more influence on Cuba by maintaining good 
relations with its government. 
 
Question 2):  Have there been any high-level diplomatic 
visits between Cuba and host country in the past six months? 
 
Post Response to Question 2):  The Government of Brazil 
regularly emphasizes to post officials that it has a strong 
and important relationship with the Cuban Government, and 
high-level diplomatic visits are common. The past six months 
have seen reciprocal visits by the Brazilian and Cuban 
presidents and foreign ministers, among others. 
 
Question 3):  What is the nature of investments (and names, 
if known) that host country businesses have in Cuba? 
 
Post Response to Question 3):  There are a number of 
Brazilian companies doing business in Cuba, including tour 
bus manufacturer Busscar (Transbus Industria S.A. in Cuba) 
and cigarette manufacturer Souza Cruz (a Brazil-based 
subsidiary of British American Tobacco Company in a joint 
venture with the GoC).  In March 2008, the Brazilian Trade 
and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) facilitated the 
participation of 24 Brazilian companies in the International 
Fair of Havana, Cuba,s principal commercial event.  The 
Brazilian companies came from the food, construction, 
cleaning materials, equipment and machinery, technology, and 
health sectors.  According to news reports, participation in 
the same fair in 2007 resulted in immediate transactions for 
Brazilian participants of USD 6.7 million, with expected 
future earnings of USD 33 million. 
 
GoB Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade figures 
indicate that in 2008 Cuba exported approximately USD 45 
million of goods to Brazil - a decrease of 51% from 2007. 
The top three goods exported from Cuba to Brazil were 
extracts from glands and organs (accounting for approximately 
66% of total trade), Portland cement (16%), and other blood 
products (6%).  Also in 2008, Brazil exported to Cuba goods 
valued at approximately USD 527 million - compared to USD 324 
million in 2007.  The top three goods exported from Brazil to 
Cuba were refined soybean oil (accounting for 9.7% of total 
trade), bagasse and other solid residue from the processing 
of soybean oil (8.8%), and rice (7.7%). 
 
Question 4): Are there any bilateral trade agreements between 
host country and Cuba? 
 
Post Response to Question 4):  Yes.  The Brazilian Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs lists the following trade-related 
agreements with Cuba: a 1989 Commercial Agreement, a 2003 
Terms of Cooperation in the Area of Micro and Small 
Businesses, and a 2003 Memorandum of Understanding for the 
Promotion of Industrial Development.  Cuba entered into a 
regional preference tarrif agreement with the Brazil and 
other Mercosul countries in 1999 through the Latin American 
Association of Integration.  In 2006 Mercosul and Cuba agreed 
on an accord to an to liberalize trade by reducing import 
tariffs, but this agreement has yet to be ratified and has 
not entered into force. 
 
Question 5): Are there any exchange programs between host 
country and Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships 
for host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid 
medical travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors 
working in host country? 
 
Post Response to Question 5): Yes, exchanges are common, 
particularly among students. 
SOBEL