The Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee of the Brazilian senate has passed a petition introduced by Senator Inacio Arruda (Communist Party of Brazil, State of Ceara) to have Defense Minister Nelson Jobim and the U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel invited to talk about the re-establishment of the 4th Fleet of the U.S. Navy for Central and South America. Inacio Arruda thinks it is vital that authorities explain why the 4th Fleet is to monitor the South Atlantic. To Romeu Tuma (PTB-Sao Paulo), it is disquieting that this announcement has been made soon after Navy Commander Admiral Julio de Moura Neto recognized the difficulties of the force in public. Pedro Simon also wants do hear the Foreign Relations Minister Celso Amorim. According to Amorim, the U.S. Ambassador found the congressmen's reaction strange and reportedly had said Brazil should be grateful to the United States for re-establishing the 4t Fleet. The issue, therefore, promises plenty to spare...

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