Brasília – The North American secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said yesterday (3), in Brazilian capital Brasília, that the government of the United States should start negotiations next week to sign an agreement with Brazil to avoid the country’s retaliation to subsidies granted to cotton farmers in her country. This is the first time that the North Americans show themselves prepared to grant concessions to Brazil. The Brazilian Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim, said that it should take one month to solve the impasse.
The agreement for compensation involves around US$ 830 million. The subject was the theme of the meeting between Amorim and Hillary yesterday afternoon, at the Itamaraty, the Brazilian Foreign Office. According to the secretary, the effort is for negotiations to come to a happy ending, as is the case in well known movies.
“I feel that I have entered a film that was issued a long time ago. Brazil is going to disclose the list of [North American] products [to be retaliated],” said the secretary, referring to the publication that is scheduled to take place next Monday (8th).
Then, Hillary stated, “a compensation proposal should be discussed. We have time to try to solve this in a peaceful and productive manner. Trade between our nations is so great that I hope we may solve the matter.”
Amorim also said that he still doubts whether the United States want to impose a kind of counter retaliation against Brazilian products due to the decision of retaliating against US products. “I cannot believe that the United States is going to do that,” said the Foreign Minister.
According to Amorim, after publication of the list, there should be one month for negotiation with the United States. “The list should be published next week and there should be a period of 30 days [for negotiation]. So there is time, based on what was authorised following the law,” he pointed out.
In late 2009, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) authorised Brazil to retaliate the United States in up to US$ 830 million. The decision was taken due to subsidies granted to US cotton farmers. The process has been developing for the last eight years. The medication sector is among the main targets.
*Translated by Mark Ament
