MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil/US discuss military technology transfer as part of defence cooperation

Panetta meets Amorim as part of a regional which also includes Colombia and Chile

Brazilian Defence Minister Celso Amorim and his visiting US peer Leon Panetta considered an increase in cooperation in many different areas including cyber-security, science and military technology and humanitarian assistance during a bilateral meeting held in Brasilia.

The Amorim/Panetta round on Tuesday was the first of the US/Brazil bilateral committee for cooperation in defence issues which was agreed three weeks ago in Washington by Presidents Barack Obama and Dilma Rousseff.

At the meeting, which lasted an hour, Amorim proposed to his US counterpart further defence collaboration, particularly an association that would imply the transfer of military technology to Brazil.

At the joint press conference following the meeting, the minister said that Brazil is not demanding the technology itself, but rather access to it and he expressed his interest in engaging in a dialogue on “broader” questions in the area of security and defence.

The transfer of technology is one of the requirements that the Brazilian government normally demands in its international procurements of machinery, equipment, vehicles and leading industries.

The US recently admitted the possibility of technology transfer regarding the Super Hornet F/A-18 fighter jets – manufactured by Boeing – if Brazil accepts the US offer in the bidding to purchase 36 planes.

Also participating in the bidding are France’s Dassault and Sweden’s Saab.

However Amorim said nothing is decided: “the government will look at price, quality and technology transfer proposals when it makes the decision”.

Likewise “we're looking for access to military technology, not a donation”.

Panetta’s visit to Brasilia comes during a tour of Latin America that on Monday took the Defence secretary to Colombia and will conclude in Chile.

Panetta described “Brazil as a positive force for stability, not just in Latin America, but in the world”.