Cablegate: National Nuclear Security Administration Head D'agostino

VZCZCXRO1180
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #1299 3101245
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061245Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5330
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 0042
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 0006
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 0078
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0195

UNCLAS BRASILIA 001299

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP PREL NPT IAEA MNUC PARM BR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION HEAD D'AGOSTINO
DISCUSSION WITH BRAZILIAN GSI MINISTER FELIX

REF: BRASILIA 1038

(U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET
DISTRIBUTION.

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Following up on the August meeting between Gary
Samore from the National Security Council and General Jorge Felix,
Minister of the Brazilian Cabinet for Institutional Security (GSI),
the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration
(NNSA), Thomas D'Agostino, had a productive telephone discussion on
October 9 with Felix about nuclear security and non-proliferation.
Motivated by this D'Agostino call, Felix appears inclined to visit
the United States to pursue cooperation in the nuclear security
area. His staff says that he would like an invitation from a senior
USG official responsible broadly for nuclear matters, and they
suggested Samore. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) The Administrator of the National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA), Thomas D'Agostino, discussed nuclear security
and non-proliferation issues by telephone on October 9 with the
Minister of the Brazilian Cabinet for Institutional Security (GSI),
General Jorge Felix. This conversation was part of the follow up to
the August 7 meeting in Brasilia between Felix and Gary Samore of
the National Security Council (REFTEL). D'Agostino and Felix had a
friendly and productive conversation, and both looked for areas
where their two agencies could work together on nuclear matters.
Felix explained that GSI had only recently been charged with
coordinating the Government of Brazil's nuclear security matters,
and therefore many activities that might seem routine to the NNSA
were still quite new and challenging for GSI. Felix was grateful to
D'Agostino and the USG for reaching out to him and he looked forward
to building a strong and lasting cooperation between the two
agencies.

3. (SBU) D'Agostino echoed Felix's strong desire for cooperation
between their two agencies. Both agreed that areas such as
structures for nuclear security; responding to nuclear emergencies;
and control of sensitive imports/exports would be excellent areas in
which to begin their cooperation. Felix also mentioned that the
United States does a good job of conducting industry outreach, which
is critical to the issue of imports/exports, and that he would like
to learn from the USG's experience.

4. (SBU) In addition, D'Agostino invited Felix to come to the
United States and visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge
site to hold technical discussions on nuclear security and
international safeguards, including implementation of the Additional
Protocol. Following up on that call, Science Counselor and Science
Officer met on October 22 with Felix's international advisor, Miriam
Medeiros da Silva, to discuss possible next steps in cooperation.
Medeiros said that Felix realized that the NNSA's portfolio did not
match up exactly with that of GSI, and that GSI had many
responsibilities concerning security and nuclear materials that
corresponded more closely to those of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) and other agencies. While D'Agostino had created a
strong impetus to visit the United States, Felix wanted to meet with
other agencies as well. Medeiros said accordingly that Felix would
likely respond positively to an invitation from a senior official
with a wider nuclear portfolio; she suggested an invitation from
Gary Samore. Furthermore, she added that Felix would very much like
to meet with DHS Secretary Napolitano during the visit.

5. (SBU) D'Agostino and Felix concluded the call by agreeing to
establish principal points of contact to begin outlining potential
cooperative activities. They also agreed that the U.S. Embassy in
Brasilia should help to facilitate this dialog. Since then Felix
has designated Medeiros as the GSI point of contact, and the Embassy
has delivered to Felix a December 2008 letter (D'Agostino to
Minister of Defense Jobim and to Under Secretary Vargas of the
Ministry of External Relations) on possible nuclear nonproliferation
cooperation that D'Agostino mentioned during the conversation.

KUBISKE

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