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Just saw this article on Yahoo! Seems that Paul O'Neill is starting to come around on some debt relief ideas, gives me some hope.

O'Neill: U.S. Backs Brazil-IMF Talks
Mon Aug 5,12:52 PM ET
By MICHAEL ASTOR, Associated Press Writer

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill said Monday that Washington strongly supports Brazil's talks with the International Monetary Fund ( news - web sites) for a new bailout package to help it fend off a debt crisis.

In a meeting with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, O'Neill said he told the Brazilian ( news - web sites) leader "we were very supportive of the discussion they are having with the IMF." Brazil reportedly is seeking some $10 billion to prop up its currency, which tumbled sharply last week.

"I understand the IMF has said they feel very good about their progress in the talks, and I think things are going forward," O'Neill added.

O'Neill came to Brazil Sunday evening on a four-day tour of South American countries, including Argentina and Uruguay, which are seeking more consistent U.S. support for plans to repair their ailing economies.

Cardoso had threatened not to receive O'Neill after the U.S. official suggested that some South American nations were diverting international financial aid to Swiss bank accounts. O'Neill backtracked, but the remarks caused ill feelings. A group of protesters outside the presidential palace burned the U.S. flag.

On Monday, Uruguay received an electronic transfer of $1.5 billion from the U.S. Federal Reserve ( news - web sites) to shore up its embattled financial system. Bush administration officials announced the emergency loan Sunday.

Uruguay shuttered all state and private banks for four days last week after panicked depositors began emptying their accounts. On Monday, banks began operating two hours before their usual noon opening in anticipation of a flood of customers.

The U.S. assistance to Uruguay is to be repaid within days once Uruguay receives a new loan package from the IMF, the World Bank ( news - web sites) and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Uruguay's four-year economic tailspin has been exacerbated by the unraveling of the Argentine economy next door. The loan marks the first time the Bush administration has provided direct economic support to a country in financial crisis and underscored growing U.S. concern about the widening economic troubles in Latin America.

O'Neill said last week that the administration supported more assistance to Brazil and Uruguay because those countries were pursuing appropriate policies to deal with their economic troubles. He did not mention Argentina, which is still struggling to devise a sustainable plan.

On Sunday, O'Neill spent three hours dining at the house of Central Bank Governor Arminio Fraga in Rio de Janeiro along with Finance Minister Pedro Malan and the presidential Chief of Staff Pedro Parente.

He was to fly later Monday to Sao Paulo, Brazil's financial center, for meetings with business leaders.

Brazilian officials are hoping O'Neill's visit will help secure financial support from the IMF in order to avoid a debt crisis and calm financial markets jittery about October presidential elections that could see a leftist candidate come to power.

Asked whether O'Neill supported a new accord between the IMF and Brazil, Parente said: "I think it was very positive. I perceived on the part of the secretary a posture that was very favorable, very comprehensive and with a lot of interest about the Brazilian situation."

Last week, O'Neill upset local markets when he expressed wariness about extending big rescue packages to heavily indebted countries like Brazil.

Investors reacted to O'Neill comments by dumping the country's currency and bonds. The Brazilian real then fell to 3.47 to the dollar, the lowest point in its eight-year history.

On Thursday, O'Neill said he favored IMF support for Brazil. He added that the country's economic team "has done a remarkable job of maintaining sound fiscal and monetary policies."

O'Neill's reversal reflected a larger change in the Bush administration, which had come to office promising to move away from the big bailouts of the Clinton administration.

Though O'Neill now backs an accord in Brazil, Cardoso's administration still needs the presidential candidates to support an IMF deal. Before lending more money to Brazil, the IMF has said it would like to see the candidates agree to certain economic policies.

Most candidates have said they would be amenable to an accord, but center-left candidate Ciro Gomes, who is in second place in polls and ahead of Cardoso's candidate Jose Serra, has spoken against a loan package.

Gomes has blamed Brazil's current $15 billion accord with the IMF and eight years of tight fiscal policies under Cardoso for hampering economic growth. In 12 months up to March, Brazil's economy grew just 0.3 percent.
 
dsmith2904 - thanks for posting the article.

Hmm . . . I'm not sure what to make of our policticians' financial assistance. I'd like to be optimistic but it seems to be some of the same old bandaid approach. It's good, I guess that the US can provide a quick bailout but as we can see from the stories in Africa, WB and IMF loans from the with the attached interest have really hurt struggling nations.:no:
 
I started a thread in FYM and asked people from Brazil to post notes with their opinions on the matter. One posted a news article and there's a bit of opinion as well.
 
not sure how this is angel related, but i have changed my major to international affairs with a concentration in International Business, anyhow I am taking a class this fall called "International Health Policy". It is only offered once every 3 yrs. so I am jumping on this class, because I heard it was fantastic and should not be missed. so i am sure i will be full of useful information this fall.
 
MissVelvetDress - I think that's an admirable focus that you've taken. I have a personal interest in trying to find out how helpful and/or unhelpful pharmaceutical companies have been in helping with AIDS research and drug distribution so any info. that you find out would be greatly appreciated. I'm slowly pulling some research together so I can share that with you if you are interested.

:angel:
 
hotpepper said:
MissVelvetDress - I think that's an admirable focus that you've taken. I have a personal interest in trying to find out how helpful and/or unhelpful pharmaceutical companies have been in helping with AIDS research and drug distribution so any info. that you find out would be greatly appreciated. I'm slowly pulling some research together so I can share that with you if you are interested.

:angel:

Thanks. I am really excited about this class and major. I will definitely let you know if I come across some good information regarding the pharmaceutical companies.
 
MissVelvetDress_75 said:


Thanks. I am really excited about this class and major. I will definitely let you know if I come across some good information regarding the pharmaceutical companies.


I'd love to have some info on this as well. Bravo, MVD!:kiss: :kiss:
 
verte76 said:



I'd love to have some info on this as well. Bravo, MVD!:kiss: :kiss:

well, i have a slight confession, i have yet to sign up for this class, however they just added this class late last week and it hardly fills up, so chances are pretty darn good that i will get in. so everyone say a little prayer and keep your fingers crossed for me. :)
 
It's too late now, but Jubilee's call in to the White House was today. I called but I totally forgot to post.


WAH!


:banghead:
 
SD,

It wasn't an email from Jubillee, Sorry.

It was from stopglobalaids.com. I deleted the email but the jist of it was, today was a national call in day to the White House. There was a script and everything but I can't seem to find it. Oh well, the 15th is over on the East Coast. We'll catch the next one. Supposedly Bush has rescinded on his pledge for $500 million to the cause. I will attempt to find the email it has some good information altho the jubileeusa.org site probably has the same information.


Here is an update on upcoming events:

August & September

August 23-September 4 - World Summit for Sustainable Development - countless events, pre-conferences, workshops and actions in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. Includes: The official UN summit, August 26 to September 4; The Global Peoples Forum and the Peoples Earth Summit, where Civil Society will gather to exchange ideas, develop common perspective and positions and make their concerns heard, August 19 to September 4 and August 23 to September 3, respectively. More info at World Summit 2002


September 25-30 - Jubilee Mobilization to Cancel the Debt, Now!
Interfaith Prayer Service and Vigil at US Treasury Department, September 26, 7pm
End Corporate Rule: Global Struggles Against the IMF and World Bank, September 25-30, including Mobilization, Rally and March, September 28
More info at Jubilee USA Network
 
Thanks for the updates! I almost forgot to check here, I hope all of the girls will come here even though we got moved to gatherings. Keep the angels going! :angel:
 
U2K-- thank you! :) Yeah, I was/am worried that this stuff will get lost in here, so I suggested earlier all Angel stuff be at Free your Mind.

Oktobergirl, will check their site. Thank you for the important info!

:)

SD :angel:
 
Damn, I missed this! I got distracted by the Prague flood (I have a friend in Prague and spent the better part of two days with the Nervous System Torture From Hell). I'll get letters written about this backing off act of Bush's...the demonstrators will have something to say as well! I got something from O'Neill's office just today. It contains a note from the Treasury Department about the HPIC countries, the debt, and also a copy of O'Neill's testimony in Congress. I think it's "window-dressing" for what the government isn't doing; it's about as clear as mud.
Let's raise some hell!!!
 
Hello Angels - Here's an excerpt of an email I just sent SherryDarling.

"I really have been meaning to post an Angel update but my research is so spotty that I just didn't feel like I got anywhere in any kind of concrete way.

As you know I've been focusing on just a piece of what
DATA is all about. Here's an update for you though -
I did talk to a staffer at my congresswomen's (Lynn Woolsey) office about HR 933 (Affordable HIV/AIDS Medicines for Poor
Countries). I figured since she is a cosponsor they'd
know something about the current status. Well as it
turns out (just like that Thomas website said) that
the bill is stuck in a subcommittee. My next step is
to write the subcommittee members and try to find out
what the hold up is. By the way, it was really
interesting talking to the staffer. He did say that
the Thomas website is what they use to get information on congressional stuff.

I got a letter from Paul O'Neill's office a couple of
days ago, thanking me for my letter to him. Included
in the thanks were apologies about taking so long to
get back to me. Enclosed with the letter was the
transcript of his report from 6/27/02 to the House
International Relation Committee Regarding Economic
Development in Africa. Did you get that too? If not,
I think it's online. I can find it for you if you'd
like. I didn't read it yet. I'm still pissed about
congress recently backing down on the 5 billion for
debt relief that I can't imagine his report made any difference.

Oh yeah and I did some more research on Bristol Myers
and Squibb. Looks like they've got some legit $$$
going towards education and research on the AIDS thing
in Africa. I read about some specific projects in
South Africa and UNIAIDS is listed as a partner of
theirs. I think that I pointed this out to you before
so sorry for the repetition. Bristol Myers and
Squibbs main program around this is called "Secure the
Future". As I only spent an hour or so doing this bit
of research, my next step is to see if they are
actually making any effort to provide free drugs. By
the way I never heard back from their big honcho. I
really didn't expect too anyways.

Chipping away, one bit at a time,
Lori aka hotpepper":angel:
 
Lori! BRAVO, girl! What hard work you've been doing! Please let us know what you find out and if you need us to contact this subcommitte. Again, congrats!! You're an :angel: !

:)

SD
 
so i had my first International Health Policy class this past tuesday. this is a great course. i am sure you all would really enjoy it. i should scan the course layout information and post it on here. anyhow, the class is not designed to be a traditional course. it is set up in a circle for debate and discussion. there are no tests, just two papers on global or local health matters and 1 group lead discussion. I have already picked my group lead discussion and will hold my session in December. We are also going to have a series of speakers come in and talk to us. One speaker is a Dr. who is a dean on my campus and was hand selected to go to the AIDS conference in Barcelona to represent the US. Apparently he is respected in the fight for AIDS and will be talking to us about the AIDS crisis in Asia and Africa. So I know i will have a ton of important and useful news for you all.
 
Fresh on the heels of the shores of Ireland, I'm back from my holiday and it was grand!

last week I went to the new ( and improved) incarnation of the LA/Orange County faction of Jubilee USA and we are holding a fundraiser on Oct 12th here in LA.

I will have more details as we get closer to the event but we are hoping to raise money and awareness for the Jubilee causes.

Our guest Speaker is a Special Envoy for the United Nations.

YAY!
 
Hey, that's cool, Oktobergirl!!! I wish I were around a place that has activities like that but things like that don't happen much in this neck of the woods. Too many people around here think AIDS is a "gay" disease and they're neurotic about gays. It's frustrating.:mad: :mad: :madspit: :silent: :censored:
 
Call in today to drop the debt!!

Today is the day to call in to Dr. Rice's office.

Here's the info. It's all we can do, especially with the IMF meetings going on this weekend, the call will mean even more.


Call-In Day to Cancel the Debt

ASK NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, DR. CONDALEEZA RICE, TO CANCEL THE DEBT!
CALL-IN DAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 - Call: 202-456-9491

National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleeza Rice, has the power to influence Bush Administration?s policies on debt relief for the world's poorest countries. You can help encourage her to tell the Administration and the US Treasury Department to support deeper debt cancellation for impoverished nations.

The World Bank and IMF are refusing to cancel the debt. The World Bank and IMF will meet this week in Washington, DC. They have already said that they will refuse to provide deeper debt cancellation for impoverished nations, even when they acknowledge that their current program is failing to resolve the debt crisis.

Our legislative push for deeper debt relief is in jeopardy. The Treasury Department has been trying to lobby against further debt relief in the House of Representatives. They have dug in their heels and said ? no more relief!

There is only one person in the Bush Administration that might be able to change their minds: Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Please call to let her know that you care and want her support for deeper debt cancellation.

CALL THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
ASK DR. RICE TO INFLUENCE THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO DROP THE DEBT!
CALL: 202-456-9491

Talking points for your call:

Thank Dr. Rice for her support of the Millennium Challenge Account and increased foreign aid for impoverished countries.
Don?t let our increased foreign aid be used for debt repayments to the World Bank or other countries ? debt cancellation is needed to make any future foreign aid effective.
Ask her to use her influence in the Bush Administration to push for definitive debt cancellation without harmful World Bank and IMF conditions.
Debt relief has proven effective in fighting HIV/AIDS, putting kids in school and saving lives with increased health care. Don't stop now- provide complete debt cancellation for the future of Africa and other impoverished nations!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Government officials, including Dr. Rice, tell us that they want to do more for impoverished countries ? but that Americans just don?t care. On Friday ? break this myth ? by registering your concern and support for debt cancellation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It only takes one minute to make this phone call.

Take a big breath.

Get up the courage and raise your voice for billions of people that are still bound by the chains of debt.

Please make all calls in a respectful and courteous manner.
 
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