The weather seems to be getting warmer again – after a record breaking cool snap – but that is only relative. Still lower 80’s in the day and around 60 at night. The light seems to be changing too, getting whiter, which makes sense since the sun is now two months past solstice. I am typing away – hunt and peck as usual – despite having a metal appliance on my injured left pinky. Shortly we will take our first trip to the Botanical Garden.
It has been a busy several days and the crescendo is still coming. At midnight, I go to the airport to meet [ONDCP Director} General McCaffrey. We will have a full day tomorrow including meetings with the President and various ministers plus press events and an evening reception. On Tuesday arrives the President’s Special Envoy, Gov. Buddy MacKay, and on Thursday we get Governor Hunt of North Carolina. The household staff has been preparing to feed some 200 people and everyone at the embassy has been working on schedules, etc. All this amidst efforts to clarify that the U.S. doesn’t really expect Brazil to join us in invading Colombia and otherwise manage issues such as who outside the Embassy can use the Embassy pool.
US State Department cables from places I have served plus items from my time as a UN peacekeeper. To increase public awareness of how diplomacy and peacekeeping are (were) actually done. All cables cleared by USG FOIA procedure. Cables are mostly those sent under my name from my posts but also others in which I was directly involved. UN documents and other items will also include occasional notes and background. Most recent in series on top with cables under the new series of UN documents.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Saturday, September 10, 2016
From Journal Entry for August 8, 1999: Typical "work" for a Chief of Mission
This morning, we all went to
the Flag Changing ceremony at the Praca dos Tres Poderes (Square of
the Three Powers). Every month there is an official ceremony in
which the national flag – the biggest in Brazil – is lowered and
a new one takes its place. The flagpole is a soaring sculpture in
itself at one end of Brasilia’s version of the monumental mall.
The space is flanked by the Congress, the Supreme Court and Planalto
(the President’s offices) -- thus Tres Poderes. I was invited to
attend with my family*. We all got dressed and were picked up by the Lincoln at 8:30. We
had a bit of shade in the VIP area and were surrounded by more
four-star officers than we ever saw. The Church was present too
(some cardinal). We were treated to a marching band from the
Military High School of Brasilia, which had a live sheep for its
mascot.
Yesterday we had a newly arrived family over for
lunch.... asked the staff
to do a Brazilian barbecue. The food went great with the
caipirinhas, the company, the sun and the pool. [My wife] – a bit
reluctant at first to have our domestics asked to work on Saturday
(it is part of their work schedule but we don’t usually utilize it)
– enjoyed lunch enough to suggest we do it every weekend. On
Friday night, we went to the Bolivian National Day
reception while Andy went on a sleep over. This evening, Andy and I will have a guest box at the local soccer stadium to see Gama play
Guarani. The workweek is pretty full and we are entering a busy
period with lots of visitors coming down. But I like what I’m
doing and we all are having a good time.
*Note: My family joined me in Brasilia for a few weeks during the summer break.
*Note: My family joined me in Brasilia for a few weeks during the summer break.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Monday, August 29, 2016
99 Brasilia 02837: Background and Talking Points For Meeting of DAS Eddleman with Brazilian Ambassador Barbosa
Note: This cable was probably requested by the Brazil desk in the State Department to assist them in drafting the briefing memo for the referenced meeting.
Monday, August 22, 2016
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