Cablegate: Brazil: Demarche Delivered On U.S.-Colombia Dca

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C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 001281

SIPDIS

WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, DAS MCMULLEN, WHA/BSC - SIMPSON/POSIVAK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2019

TAGS: MARR OPDC PREL CO BR

SUBJECT: BRAZIL: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON U.S.-COLOMBIA DCA

REF: A. SECSTATE 111966 B. BRASILIA 01264 Classified By: Political Counselor Steve Liston. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ).

1. (SBU) Poloffs delivered Ref A demarche on the U.S.-Colombia Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) October 30 to Brazilian Ministry of External Relations (MRE) Pol/Mil Advisor to the Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Marcos Pinta Gama, United States/Canada/Inter-American Affairs Department Head Minister Carlos Abreu, and Brazilian Ministry of Defense Brigadier Holand.

2. (SBU) Pinta Gama and Abreu were interested to know that the agreement would be provided to the U.S. Congress and would eventually be made public. Pinta Gama noted that the DCA is important for Brazil and South America and has been discussed thoroughly by the ministers and presidents of the region. Pinta Gama and Abreu asked if the DCA was meant to allow the United States to replace the capabilities allowed by the Manta, Ecuador base. PolCouns explained that it was not.

3. (C) While Pinta Gama assured that "we don,t want to make a big drama of this issue" or have this "become an issue of disagreement among neighbors," he stressed that, in light of Colombia,s past border issues with Ecuador and Venezuela, Brazil continues to seek formal assurances that Colombia will respect borders, in addition to those in Article III of the U.S.-Colombia DCA, "to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the region." PolCouns noted that the assurances Brazil seeks from Colombia are based on concerns that go well beyond the scope of the DCA and that, as Brazilian President Lula had stated publicly during Colombia President Uribe,s visit to Sao Paulo the previous week that he was satisfied with U.S. and Colombian explanations of the agreement (Ref B), the DCA should not be linked to Brazil,s continuing effort to gain Colombian assurances.

4. (SBU) In a separate meeting, Brigadier Holand told Pol/MilOff he was grateful for U.S. efforts to keep Brazil informed.

KUBISKE

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