SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S LUNCHEON REMARKS AT ITAMARATY PALACE IN BRAZIL

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Remarks at Luncheon With Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Itamaraty Palace
Brasilia, Brazil
August 13, 2013

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, Mr. Foreign Minister, distinguished guests, and particularly my former colleague senators who are here, the chairman of the committee, it’s my privilege to be able to just respond a moment to Antonio’s comments. And I want to pick up on what he said, if I may. First, I just want to say thank you for a wonderful welcome, a very generous moment here. I’m not sure I should say thank you for giving me this power to be all that stands between you and your meal, but I will try to execute it very, very quickly and sensitively.

I’m amazed by this privilege of eating in this football field room that is enormous. I’m privileged to be able to be here with you in Brazil, and for me to be back in Brazil is very, very special, and I think you know why, Antonio. I have a special connection here. But I listened to your comments a moment ago as you talked about multilateralism and the world we live in, and I think as Brazil thinks about its relationship with the United States, it’s important for you to be aware that we have no pretensions that we’re still living in the age of the Cold War, where there was a bipolar division and the Cold War itself was dominated by major superpowers, in many cases without regard to the impact on a lot of other countries’ aspirations.

Today is different. The United States welcomes – welcomes the strength of nations that are emerging on their own design with their own hopes and aspirations for their people. And truly amazing stories are being written around the world by Brazil, by many other countries that are suddenly new economic powerhouses, and happily, new centers of democracy and of education, environmental concern, health care, all of the values that we share. I know sometimes people wonder sort of how does the United States react to this transformation, and I cannot tell you how much we welcome it.

We want partners in these aspirations, and the world is stronger when the world shares decisions that people come to together and work towards in partnership. The truth is that I don’t think there’s any country on the face of the planet that has won as many battles, expended as much of its treasure in the interests of democracy and freedom and universal values, whether it was on the beaches of Normandy or on the islands of the Pacific in World War II or in other great enterprises that we have engaged in. And in every single case the United States has happily welcomed a South Korea that is a powerhouse in the world today, a Japan powerhouse in the world today, Germany, France, Europe powerhouse in the world today. The truth is that our shared values are what keep us together, not our physical strength. And in the end, Brazil is now setting its own course among all of those nations, proving its ability to make a difference on the global stage as well as to grow its partnership with the United States.

So I’m proud to say that this is a time of great promise between our countries, Antonio. It’s a great promise for the world if we make the right choices. And I think we have to look forward, we have to move forward along with the currents that that will take us into that future. Your great Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho reminds us when we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; the challenge will not wait, life does not look back. What we all need is a moment, as he tells us, to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.

Brazil and the United States are at that kind of moment now. Our destiny is clear, in our judgment: If we act in common purpose, if we work together to build a more prosperous, democratic, and secure future for the Americas and for others in the world who aspire to be like us, then we will have a more effective partnership. Life will always send us challenges to test our courage, but I can tell you I’m confident Brazil and America will not wait, we will not look back, we will look forward and we will move forward together. And I toast our effort. Saude.

SOUTHCOM SENDS MEDICATIONS TO BRAZIL NIGHTCLUB FIRE VICTIMS

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Southcom Speeds Medications to Brazil for Nightclub Victims
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2013 - Medication to treat victims suffering from the tragic Jan. 27 nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil, funded by and transported through coordination by U.S. Southern Command, are scheduled to arrive in Brasilia today, Southcom officials reported.

Southcom partnered with the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, the Brazilian Ministry of Health, American Airlines, Miami Dade Aviation and the Transportation Security Administration to secure the rapid transport of the medication, officials said.

The Brazilian Ministry of Health submitted a request to the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia for 140 doses of the drug Cyanokit to treat victims exposed to cyanide poison when the fire ignited acoustic foam insulation inside the club, they said.

Southcom, in turn, worked with the Defense Logistics Agency to secure the medication under an existing contract with Meridian Medical Technologies. The command used funds from its humanitarian assistance program to pay for the drugs, valued at more than $97,000, officials said.

Southcom also coordinated transport of the medication from St. Louis to Brazil via Miami by working closely with Miami Dade Aviation, TSA and American Airlines. The drugs are scheduled to arrive today aboard an American Airlines flight. In Brasilia, they will be turned over to local health ministry officials to immediately distribute to health care facilities treating victims exposed to the poison, officials said.

The command is one of six geographically focused, unified commands within the Defense Department. It is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

U.S. AND DEFENSE LEADERS MET TO FURTHER CEMENT MILITARY PARTNERSHIP

FROM:  U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta holds a joint press conference with Brazilian Minister of Defense Celso Amorim in Brasilia, Brazil, April 24, 2012. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley
U.S., Brazil Launch New Defense Cooperative Dialogue
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

BRASILIA, Brazil, April 24, 2012 - Here in the capital of the largest country in South America, U.S. and Brazilian defense leaders met for the first time under a new cooperative agreement that will expand an already close military partnership.
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim today conducted the first U.S.-Brazil Defense Cooperation Dialogue, an initiative established April 9 in Washington by U.S. President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

"Brazil is a global power. Brazil is a positive force for stability, not only in the Americas but across the world," said Panetta, here during a weeklong visit to South America, his first as defense secretary.

"For that reason," he added, "it is a privilege for me to come here to Brasilia to conduct the first Defense Cooperation Dialogue with Minister Amorim, a dialogue that both our presidents signed and supported."

"We need to be ready for a broader type of defense," Amorim said of his nation and its 360,000-member armed forces, "and the United States is certainly a very important partner in this process."

Amorim accepted Panetta's invitation to visit Washington, adding that a convenient date must be found to continue his and the secretary's "extremely productive and open" discussion.

After a press briefing with Amorim, Panetta met with retired Gen. Jose Elito Carvalho Sigueira, minister of institutional security and responsible among other duties for Brazil's cyber security.

In April 2010, the two nations signed the U.S.-Brazil Defense Cooperation Agreement, the provisions of which framed the discussion today.

During their meeting, Panetta and Amorim said they intend that defense cooperation between the nations will focus on priority categories of activity during 2012.
These include cyber security; science, innovation and technology transfer; logistics; communications; humanitarian assistance and disaster response; and cooperation in support of Africa nations.

Panetta said exchanging more information on cyber security will be beneficial in "a whole new arena. I think both of our nations are concerned about ... how we can effectively defend against those potential attacks."

About humanitarian assistance and disaster response, the secretary said Brazil has performed an outstanding role in Haiti since that island nation experienced a devastating and deadly earthquake and tsunami in January 2010.

"I commend them on the work they've done there," Panetta added. "They have learned a lot of lessons with regard to humanitarian aid and we look forward to being able to share those lessons and to build even greater cooperation in this area in the future."
Panetta and Amorim also discussed a shared desire to expand the nations' already significant two-way trade in advanced defense technology," he said.
"We think Brazil is a very important partner in that area," the secretary added, "and we continue to look for ways to improve the technology we share with Brazil so hopefully Brazil can provide jobs and opportunities for its people as we provide jobs and opportunities for ours."

The best such example is the United States' entry into the Brazilian Air Force's F-X2 fighter competition, in which it will compete with two other contenders.
"We've made a strong offer to provide the Super Hornet" Panetta said, a marine strike attack aircraft manufactured by an American company.

"It's an advanced aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force, and we think it can help provide Brazil with the kind of fighter technology that it needs for the future," the secretary said.
A key element in the recently unveiled new U.S. defense strategy "is to strengthen our global security partnerships in very innovative ways," he said.

"That's why this Defense Cooperation Dialogue is very important for us," the secretary added, "because it provides a vehicle for Brazil and the United States to build an innovative defense partnership for the 21st Century."

There was a time in the past when the United States discouraged countries in Latin America and Central America from developing military capabilities, Panetta said.
"The fact is, today we think the development of those kinds of capabilities is important," he said, "and that if we can use those capabilities to develop the kind of innovative partnerships that I'm talking about, that will ... advance the security of this region and the security of the countries involved."

The secretary added, "We think this is a real opportunity. The United States, just like other countries, is facing budget constrictions with regard to the future. And what we believe is that the best way to approach the future is to develop partnerships, alliances [and] relationships with other countries, [to] share information, share assistance, share capabilities."

In that way, Panetta said, "we can provide greater security for the future. That's our goal, and I think that's the goal of Brazil as well."