Statement followed by a press conference with President Michel Temer after the First Working Session of the G20 - Hangzhou, China
I would like to start by offering some preliminary results of this trip. This morning... Yesterday, as you know, we had a long meeting with President Xi Jinping, during which he continued to show very strong interest in our country and the Brazil-China relationship. I only reiterated that, in fact, our friendship and business relationships with China remain the same. In fact, we would like to expand it. And he has shown to be very, let's say, fraternal. He even started by saying that it was the fourth time we had met, so we could already consider each other to be friends, could we not?! Which is very typical of the Chinese people and also of the usual elegance of President Xi Jinping.
On the other hand, this morning we had a pre-meeting of the BRICS countries as preparation for the Summit in Goa (India) in October. In the meeting, each country manifested to emphasize the importance, and demand the importance of this organization, which is not a legal body, but rather a spontaneous organization of countries that came together and that have reached the point of having a Development Bank, which is already operating. And all of them with the same concerns, aren't they? One concern that exists today is still the concern with employment. Also, many countries are concerned with terrorism. All the speeches of this morning, including my own, mentioned the issue of terrorism.
Also, the climate issue. Both China and the United States have signed the Paris Agreement. I'm also signing it, and have communicated that I will deposit the agreement as soon as the UN begins its work. This was a marked concern also among the BRICS countries. And it is interesting that the G20 somehow reproduced these same issues. Somehow what worried the BRICS member countries is also what concerns the G20 countries.
Of course, the G20 spoke more on the issue of refugees, of what to do with the refugees, which is a problem that afflicts many countries. It also spoke of protectionism, which is something that we were discussing yesterday with Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General of the WTO, as well as the issue of the conflicts. I, particularly, brought up the issue of the conflict in Syria, stating that conflicts must have a diplomatic solution, and I saw that all of them, including the Russian president, spoke of the need for negotiated solutions to these conflicts.
There was much talk of technological innovation as well. Everyone thinks that we should join efforts towards technological innovation. There was no doubt on that matter. In a way, the speeches both by the BRICS countries and by the G20 countries had more or less the same tone. And tomorrow - I should be giving this interview tomorrow night - but tomorrow we will continue [to have meetings]. I will speak at other meetings; there are four more events with quick speeches, actually about three minutes, some say five... I will speak for five minutes in one of the events tomorrow, which is a working lunch, and also (and I think it's important to note) three bilateral meetings. I have had a talk today, a 'pre-meeting', with the Prime Minister of Japan, the Prime Minister of Spain and the Prime Minister of Italy. I will have the official meetings tomorrow during the day. And then, at about four or five o'clock in the afternoon, the event ends and we return to Brazil. But tomorrow, we will spend the whole day, beginning at 9:30 am, at this meeting. Fundamentally, that is what has happened.
I thought it was a very productive meeting from all angles, including from an angle of recognition, of praise for Brazil, which I keep receiving from everyone, be it formally or informally. While I was in the room talking, there were a lot of compliments made to Brazil. So I think Brazil has good international presence, which was once again reinforced in the formal meetings.
Journalist: Mr. President, I would like to go back a bit to the issue of the government coalition. Today, Senator Aécio Neves said that you need to 'have a heart-to-heart' with the PMDB, and that without the PSDB there is no government…
President:... So the heart-to-heart is with the PSDB?
Journalist: No, with the PMDB…
President: Ah! with the PMDB, then.
Journalist:... And he said that... and my second question on this issue of the coalition is as follows: there are also the salary increases of the Judiciary, of the Justices of the Federal Supreme Court, which is an issue that also divides the two parties. Are you for or against the increases? And to what extent does it divide the parties?
President: I will wait for the Senate to decide. I know there is a great divide in the Senate, and my task begins after the Senate reviews it. Depending on what the Senate decides, it will come to me for a sanction or a veto. That is when I will review the matter. For now, I will await the decision by the Senate. I see that there is a great divide in the Senate, even within the PMDB, with some voting in favour and many who vote against. There is the justification that we cannot have more public expenditure at this time.
Journalist: And about the heart-to-heart.
President: That we will have all the time. Heart-to-hearts are what I do most. I do it constantly. Also, with a coalition of almost 20 political parties, if you do not [have heart-to-hearts] you cannot maintain the coalition united permanently. When we have two, three parties it is easier. But for now, we need to talk continuously. I have talked with the friends of the PSDB very often. We have had more than a few dinners and meetings. I also cherish the support of the PSDB, and of all parties: PSDB, DEM, PPS, PMDB and all others. The PMDB is my party. I think that this solid base of support is what will allow us to approve these bills that appear to be difficult but will produce very beneficial effects in the future. I even said this in my speech here today, that we are reviewing things. I mentioned the ceiling for public expenditures, and I saw something interesting: I saw that some countries have the same problem and are dealing with the same issues. The expenditure ceiling.
So I think we need to have a solid coalition, but more than that, we need the understanding of the parties that support us. And so far I have no doubt that we have that understanding. Because I think they are all concerned not with supporting the government or the president that has now taken full office, but with supporting Brazil. I think people are aware of it. So I have no concerns. We will continue to talk constantly, I have no doubt of it.
Journalist: You just said that the G20 countries offered many compliments to Brazil, but yesterday Pope Francis, who seems to see things differently, already said that he will not go to Brazil as promised, that he no longer knows if he will go to Brazil as promised. Also, during the inauguration of a statue of Our Lady of Aparecida in the Vatican, he asked people to pray to Our Lady of Aparecida for her to continue protecting Brazil in this sad moment. Why do you think he sees Brazil this way? Do you think he is wrong?
President: No! Never wrong. In fact, when I complimented the Pope as he left Brazil, at a given moment he very humbly said to me: “Look, I want to knock on the door to the heart of all Brazilians so I can enter into the hearts of all Brazilians.” And to that I replied: Your Holiness did as St. Peter did - you have already opened the door to the hearts of all Brazilians, so you need not knock on the doors to the hearts of anyone else. First point.
On the second point: I think he showed a concern with Brazil, a concern, let us admit, that we all have. I think that joy will come little by little. If we deny that we came out of a rather complicated moment, I have no doubt that we did. There were three, almost four months of political and institutional issues that generated conflict, and now, when it was decided... I told you this in an informal conversation yesterday but I've seen it was published... I said that democratic demonstrations are one thing, and they are important.
Look, let me make an observation: when we had that moment [of demonstrations] in 2013, many in the government criticised the movement. I said: "No, we should not criticise it." Those are exactly the Brazilians who are asking for public service efficiency and who are going to the streets to demonstrate. In fact, it is curious that the movement of June 2013 was wrecked because of vandals.
Do you remember that when people started vandalizing things, the movement was paralysed? That was exactly and precisely because the Brazilian people are not accustomed to vandalism, nor does the law admit it. I mean, free expression, protests of doctrinal, political, ideological natures are admissible, but vandalism is a crime, vandalism is not demonstrating. And I think it was in this sense that the Pope, who is wise, by seeing all this, said: “Pray for Brazil!" Why? So that, perhaps, we can do what I have preached: we will pacify the country. Saying a prayer so that actions can bring peace. I think this is what the Pope is asking for.
Journalist: [Incomprehensible].
President: ... I would not say it's sad. Things begin to brighten, you see what joy is in there? Joy is gaining trust. And when you look at the confidence indicators... not production indicators, because we must not be fooled by those... But when you look at the indicators of confidence in agribusiness, in industry, in the various sectors of the industry, those have grown enormously.
I think that yesterday, while talking to you, I said: "look, confidence in agribusiness in the previous quarter was 42.2%, and in the last quarter it was 86%, and so has happened with industry."
So, confidence is growing. And when confidence grows and employment starts to rise, you will naturally have joy. Of course: when you have 12 million unemployed, there is a certain sadness about it, there is a certain indignity to it. I am repeating myself from what I said yesterday, but that is true.
Journalist: [Incomprehensible].
President: No, please... Because I may, for example... I do not know when I will return to China, although I have enormous desire to return to China.
Journalist: He had no plan at the time?
President: Yes, but he had no plan. You will excuse me, but he had no plan. He said: “I have so much desire to return to Brazil, that maybe in 2017, 2018 I will return to Brazil”. But it will not be... if it is for lack of invitation, I will extend the invitation.
Journalist: [Incomprehensible].
President: I think it is better to ask the Pope.
Journalist: [Incomprehensible].
President: Oh, if I go to Rome I will seek it. In fact, let me tell you of an episode. I will speak well of myself now. He was so moved by my speech that, when I travelled to represent Brazil at the Canonization Mass of Father Anchieta, he was leaving, and, imagine how kind he is, he was leaving through a central section and I was at a side area, and when he saw me, he stopped and came to greet me. So he just has this extraordinary elegance, not just personally but institutionally.
Journalist: [Incomprehensible.]
President: It can't be argued with you. I realize now it can't. You have a way of asking, that you want an answer that I cannot give, that I have no way of giving. If you want, I will agree with you. Okay. But let it be on the record: if you want, I will agree with you. That's all.
Journalist: Good evening, Mr. President. One of the reasons for your trip to China was to showcase investment opportunities in Brazil to the world. In addition to the conditions that you have already mentioned yesterday, your administration at some point considered the sale of public assets, i.e. privatisation. I was wondering if that plan still stands. When would that be announced? Or, if the idea has died, is it perhaps because there is no political willingness in the country? And speaking of the political climate, I would like to know if you have settled on this episode of a separate vote in the Senate [maintaining the] political rights of the former president.
President: There are two action fronts. A first aspect is privatisation, which is still standing. Another aspect is the concessions. As you know, we have created a special agency to manage concessions. Moreira Franco is taking care of this, raising every hypothesis for the concessions. And on 13 September we will announce those areas that may be granted under concessions and, on the same day, those that may be privatised. Also as part of the privatisation plan, minister Meirelles is collecting data to determine which assets can be privatised. So, everything still stands, all right?