US, Brazil to sign new air travel deal

The United States and Brazil will sign a new agreement Monday designed to promote more air travel between the countries.

The U.S.-Brazil Aviation Partnership Memorandum will be signed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota, Clinton said Monday in remarks in Washington, D.C.

The memorandum builds on another agreement signed by the two countries last year and is intended to promote more and safer air travel between the United States and Brazil.

“We think that’s a win-win,” Clinton said Monday in comments. “It will promote not only our aviation industries and business travel, but also more tourism and exchanges,” she said.

The earlier Open Skies Agreement liberalized U.S.-Brazil air services for airlines in both countries.

The agreement is being signed on the margins of a presidential meeting between the leaders of the two countries.

Brazil is an increasingly important U.S. trade partner, but the Obama administration has been frustrated by the Brazilian government’s differences with the United States over how to handle Iran’s nuclear program.

Brazil was also angered earlier this year when the U.S. Air Force unexpectedly canceled a contract to buy 20 jets from Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft power.

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