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Cablegate: Mini-Dublin Group Meeting in Brasilia -- November 2007

Published: Wed 21 Nov 2007 02:54 PM
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FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
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INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6409
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4381
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 5128
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3867
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RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 1184
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002158
SIPDIS
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FOR INL, WHA/BSC, AND EUR/WE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR EAID KCRM PREL BR
SUBJECT: MINI-DUBLIN GROUP MEETING IN BRASILIA -- NOVEMBER 2007
1. SUMMARY: On November 19, 2007, under the chairmanship of the
Government of Spain, the Mini-Dublin Group convened at the Spanish
Embassy to discuss counter narcotics assistance and cooperation
between member countries and the Government of Brazil (GoB). This
was the first time the group had gathered since November 2005.
Participants included representatives from several European Union
countries, Canada, Japan, the European Commission, the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the United States.
Following the closed meeting of the group, the head of Brazil's
Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD), General Paulo Uchoa, as well as
representatives from the National Secretariat of Public Security
(SENASP) and the Federal Police, made presentations to the group.
The Brazilian participants expressed appreciation for USG support,
noting that NAS assistance has helped the GoB advance its
counter-narcotics and drug demand-reduction efforts. END SUMMARY.
2. The Spanish DCM and Chair of the meeting, Miguel Gomez de
Aranda, opened by stating that it was unfortunate that no
Mini-Dublin meeting had taken place during 2006, noting that the
last meeting had taken place on November 17, 2005.
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UNODC OVERVIEW OF DRUG TRENDS
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3. Giovanni Quaglia, country director for UNODC, presented
information collected by the UN on the global supply of cocaine and
other illicit drugs between the years 1995-2005. According to the
World Drug Report, the illicit drug market has stabilized at around
US$ 320 billion per year. Likewise, there has also been a
stabilization of coca production worldwide. During the same period,
cocaine seizures worldwide have increased. In Brazil, cocaine use
is climbing, and Brazil has reported the third-largest number of
users, after the United States and Spain. Quaglia also reviewed
trafficking trends for major illicit drugs, and observed that
cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Europe via Africa is
increasing, as is ecstasy trafficking from Europe to Latin America.
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VARIOUS BILATERAL PROGRAMS IN BRAZIL
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4. Other representatives described their programs:
A. Portugal described Brazil as one of the principal transit
countries of cocaine produced in South America and destined for
Europe, with Portugal as the primary point of entry. Consequently,
Portugal and Brazil maintain ongoing cooperation at the police
level, facilitating significant operations that have resulted in
arrests and seizures. Both countries enjoy an agreement of
cooperation, established in 1992 and modified in 2004, on combating
the production of illicit drugs and promoting demand reduction
efforts.
B. Spain has organized and hosted six regional seminars on
counter-narcotics, which included the participation of 12 Brazilian
officials, designed to improve technical capabilities and share best
practices. Moreover, Spain plans to hold a seminar in Brasilia in
December 2007, in cooperation with the Brazilian Federal Police, on
synthetic drugs and trafficking through airports. In the field of
drug prevention, two Brazilian non-government organizations (NGOs)
participated in the annual Ibero-American Network on drug addiction
to study health and education in relation to drug consumption and
its mental effects. Additionally, Spanish and Brazilian police
routinely cooperate on joint operations, investigations of mutual
interest, and intelligence exchanges.
C. The United Kingdom, although not present, submitted a brief
report stating that through the British Embassy in Brasilia, the
British Government has funded a series of programs with the
Brazilian Federal Police aimed at increasing their capacity to fight
drug trafficking. The programs have included training and the
BRASILIA 00002158 002 OF 002
provision of equipment for surveillance and the profiling of air
passengers. The British also have a significant program aimed at
reducing trafficking through Brazil's ports. This has included
training and providing equipment for profiling and searching
containers, and improving techniques for searching ships. The
British officers of the Serious Organized Crime Agency, based in
Brasilia and Sao Paulo, have been integral to the delivery of these
programs, which complement their active operational partnership with
the Federal Police.
D. As USG representative, the NAS Director re-iterated that the GoB
and USG have maintained close cooperation to develop and implement
counter-narcotics, anti-crime, and border control programs that
minimize the impact of international crime and illegal drugs. He
outlined INL assistance to Brazil, and briefly described the
U.S.-Brazil letter of agreement (LOA), noting that the USG will
implement an updated strategy that addresses changing policy
priorities of both countries and also makes the bilateral
counter-narcotics law enforcement efforts more effective and cost
efficient.
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BRAZIL'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS
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5. During the second part of the meeting General Paulo Uchoa (the
Brazilian Drug Czar) and Paulina Duarte from SENAD gave a
presentation on the history of Brazil's demand reduction and
treatment efforts. Both presenters expressed gratitude for
longstanding cooperation provided by Portugal and the United States.
SENAD has a three-pronged approach to drug prevention: diagnosing
the problems, promoting capacity-building, and implementing its
strategy. In other words, by conducting diagnostic studies through
surveys, training educators and key law enforcement officials, and
by maintaining and replicating systems and programs that are
working, SENAD believes it is on the road to drug prevention
success. While past surveys have focused on general drug and
alcohol abuse, SENAD now wants to study the student and prison
populations in order to formulate a more accurate quantitative and
qualitative baseline from which to direct future efforts. SENAD
hopes to expand the D.A.R.E. program and operate the toll-free 0800
telephone hotline 24 hours per day in order to reach a broader
audience and better serve the Brazilian population. In closing,
Duarte praised USG support for training educators at the University
of Brasilia and Federal Police agents in drug prevention methods and
practices, noting that NAS support has been a key component to
advancing GoB efforts.
CHICOLA
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