STEEL - U.S. GOALS FOR FEBRUARY 24-25 OECD

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000494

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EB/TPP/BTA/EWH - MKEHOE
STATE PASS USTR FOR ANDREW STEPHENS
USDOC FOR ITA/IA - A/S SHIRZAD AND ITA - JSPETRINI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EIND ECON CA
SUBJECT: STEEL - U.S. GOALS FOR FEBRUARY 24-25 OECD
DISCIPLINES STUDY GROUP

REF: SECSTATE 45598


1. EconCouns passed reftel talking points to Department of
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Deputy Director for
Trade Remedies Mike Robertson on February 20. Robertson noted
significant overlap between the U.S. goals and the GOC's
objectives for the February 24-25 Study Group meeting. He
said Canada and the United States had exchanged papers and he
had seen several other countries' comments as well.


2. Based on the positive outcome of the December meeting and
the good work he had seen since, Robertson was optimistic
that next week's meeting would make substantial progress
toward effective discipline of steel subsidies. He did note
a couple of areas that, in Canada's view, were not ripe for
discussion. For example, said Robertson, Canada will not
take a position on enforcement mechanisms until the GOC is
clear on what is being enforced. Similarly, Robertson said
there was no way of knowing what kind of special and
differential (S&D) treatment should be offered and to whom
without knowing the range of agreed disciplines to which the
non-S&D participants were willing to submit.


3. Robertson welcomed the expression of U.S. gratitude for
effective NAFTA solidarity at the December meeting, agreeing
that it had been a factor in increasing the momentum of the
OECD effort. He also praised the hard work of the OECD
secretariat in pressing participants for written comment.

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