Brasil frente a usa

LAP20101104045001 Sao Paulo Agencia Estado in Portuguese 03 Nov 10

[Unattributed report "Jobim Harshly Criticizes the United States" -- Agencia Estado Headline]

Jobim strongly criticizes UnitedStates

Defense Minister Nelson Jobim strongly criticized the United States today in Rio de Janeiro. In harsh tones, he said that Brazil was not willing to discuss issues concerning the sovereigntyof the Atlantic while the Americans remained outside the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which establishes rules for the exploitation of resources in national waters.

Jobim also stronglycondemned the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's
(NATO) expansion of its operational area and attacked the US embargo against Cuba.

"The right of Brazil to the seabed at a distance of 350 milesfrom our coastline, where our pre-salt oil deposits lie, stems from the convention. In other words, it is only possible to have discussions with a country which respects this rule," he said at the 7thConference of International Security at the Forte de Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.

"We have never at any time thought in terms of shared sovereignty. What sovereignty is it that the United Stateswants to share? Just ours, or theirs, too?" he asked.

Jobim also said he opposed the military alliances between South America and the United States. "Our view is that we can have relations with theUS, but the defense of South America should only be undertaken by South America," said the minister. He said Brazil must not join together with military forces that cannot be controlled by him."The US forces do not take part in UN humanitarian missions because they are not willing to come under the command of other armies. We are unwilling to accept this kind of asymmetry," he stated.

Theminister also revealed his opposition to the expansion of the area of operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military alliance to which the United States belongs.

"A...