Brazilian defense minister says Brazil and US will sign military-cooperation agreement

Minister: Brazil and US to sign defense agreement

BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil and the United States will sign a defense-cooperation agreement next week, Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said Wednesday.

The pact, to be inked with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday in Washington, will make “defense-related businesses viable,” Jobim told the Foreign Relations and Defense Committee of the lower house of congress. He did not elaborate.

Earlier this week, a senior U.S. government official told The Associated Press that the agreement provides a broad framework for military cooperation but differs from military pacts Washington has with Colombia and its NATO partners. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

“It deals with military exchanges, everything from comparing military equipment to the exchange of students and instructors at military academies,” the official said. “There will be provisions for U.S. Navy ship visits and sharing lessons in peacekeeping.”

The Colombia agreement signed last year facilitates U.S. use of Colombian military bases and grants immunity from criminal prosecution for U.S. service personnel.

There is no such immunity in the draft Brazil agreement and no stipulation for allowing U.S. troops to be stationed in Brazil. The U.S. would have to ask specific permission to send troops to Brazil for any period of time, even if just for joint peacekeeping exercises.

Associated Press Writer Frank Bajak contributed to this report.