Brazil's Defense Minister To Address LAAD AttendeesBy ANTONIE BOESSENKOOL
Published: 13 Apr 2009 14:15
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RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim is set to speak April 14 at the opening of the Latin America Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) conference here, and many visitors likely will look to him for details on the types of defense industry partnerships Brazil might seek with defense companies abroad.
Shortly before the show, Jobim discussed Brazil's focus on acquiring technology to reinvigorate its defense industry. Key to that is a focus on building partnerships with companies outside Brazil, many of which will exhibit at LAAD.
"Brazil's technological empowerment is certainly a top challenge, since it depends not only on us, but also on our ability to build partnerships," Jobim said in an e-mail interview last week.
In December, Brazil strengthened its ties to France with an agreement with French shipbuilder DCNS to acquire four Scorpène submarines and the technology to build a fifth, which would be nuclear-powered.
"All countries with an interest in sharing common goals can have Brazil as a partner," Jobim said. "France has already moved in that direction, and since last year we have a strategic partnership."
In reference to the U.S., Jobim said, "We are very much interested in intensifying our cooperation with the United States in some areas - in civilian matters, such as bio-fuels, as well as in military issues."
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http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4037002&c=AIR&s=TOP
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