October 16: I had a good week, just three days but filled enough to seem longer. Met with two ministers on Friday on a case that I insinuated that some on the U.S. side saw as "creeping expropriation." Got their attention by sharing a press statement we said we were ready to release. Had a few beers at the Happy Hour on Friday, something I'd never done before. And waited all day for an agrément that never came.
October 23: Had a good week. Secretary of Transport Rodney Slater visited. Very nice guy. I met his FAA N1 Gulf Stream at the airport and later went with his whole delegation to a churrascaria for dinner. Next day we did briefings in the Embassy, a lunch at a lakeside restaurant specializing in Bahian food and then meetings with the government, topped of by an encounter with President Cardoso. The Embassy handled the visit beautifully and we ended up at the gem and stone museum/shop on the TV tower. On Friday, we held a Principal Officers conference where our consul generals and consuls came to Brasilia for the day. In between, I met with representatives of Mattel Toys -- who want help lowering import barriers in Brazil -- and worked more on a nasty case of re-nationalization in which a state government is trying to remove U.S. shareholders of an energy company.
Meanwhile, the government here quickly granted agrément for a prospective new U.S. ambassador. There is a 50/50 chance, I’d guess, at his getting approved this year. I, of course, would rather not have a boss, but can’t say that. This job is the best I may ever have. What the heck.
October 23: Had a good week. Secretary of Transport Rodney Slater visited. Very nice guy. I met his FAA N1 Gulf Stream at the airport and later went with his whole delegation to a churrascaria for dinner. Next day we did briefings in the Embassy, a lunch at a lakeside restaurant specializing in Bahian food and then meetings with the government, topped of by an encounter with President Cardoso. The Embassy handled the visit beautifully and we ended up at the gem and stone museum/shop on the TV tower. On Friday, we held a Principal Officers conference where our consul generals and consuls came to Brasilia for the day. In between, I met with representatives of Mattel Toys -- who want help lowering import barriers in Brazil -- and worked more on a nasty case of re-nationalization in which a state government is trying to remove U.S. shareholders of an energy company.
Meanwhile, the government here quickly granted agrément for a prospective new U.S. ambassador. There is a 50/50 chance, I’d guess, at his getting approved this year. I, of course, would rather not have a boss, but can’t say that. This job is the best I may ever have. What the heck.
