Cablegate: Brazil Not As Concerned About Saicm

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002463

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/BSC AND OES/ENV:JGOURLEY
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO EPA FOR JWILLIS AND SHAZEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD ECON
SUBJECT: BRAZIL NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT SAICM

REF: SECSTATE 157172

1. Summary. Although the GoB interests in chemicals
management would seem to be somewhat in line with ours, the
government does not appear to share USG concerns that the
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management
(SAICM) process will result in problematic controls over the
use and production of chemicals nor that the SAICM will give
weight to certain questionable principles in chemicals and
risk management. End Summary.

2. Econoff delivered reftel points on the (SAICM) to Foreign
Ministry officials involved with trade and with environmental
policy, and to Julio Baena of the International Trade
Division within the Ministry of Development, Industry and
Trade (MDIC). Heading Brazil's delegation to the SAICM
Prepcom-3 meeting in Vienna September 18-24 will be First
Secretary Raphael Lopes Mendes de Azeredo from MRE's

SIPDIS
Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development Division;
MRE trade officials do not follow the SAIC discussions
closely.

3. MDIC's Baena, who will not be traveling to Vienna, and
Azeredo gave similar readouts on Brazil's position relating
to SAICM. Brazil ranks 8th or 9th worldwide in chemical
production and so the GoB would have grave concern over
adoption of an international agenda that would negatively
impact its industry. Azeredo said he understood the US
points of concern, but, given the voluntary nature of the
SAICM, the GoB does not view developments thus far in the
negotiations as causing problems for Brazilian industry.

4. With regard to the EU's REACH initiative, Azeredo said he
certainly does not have instructions to support adoption of
REACH as a strategy to be applied worldwide; he suggested it
is unlikely to be an issue given the strong resistance to EU
pressure that occurred during Prepcom-1 and Prepcom-2
meetings from a number of both developed and developing
countries. Nonetheless, Azeredo said Brazil could accept
listing of the EU's REACH program among the "concrete
measures" that will form the Global Action Plan. Azeredo
characterized the Global Action Plan as a reference document
in the form of a shopping list, which countries can consult
when developing domestic policies. Azeredo emphasized,
however, that the GoB would not accept any attempt to
describe the list of measures as endorsed by consensus.

5. Azeredo also conveyed calm over proposals within SAICM to
endorse a ban on production and use of certain classes of
chemicals, confident that any attempt to negotiate mandatory
provisions for such a ban of such a comprehensive nature
would not be successful.
Chicola

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