Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME1885
2003-05-02 15:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALIAN POSITION ON ARTICLE 28

Tags:  EAGR IT AU FAO 
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UNCLAS ROME 001885 

SIPDIS


USEU BRUSSELS FOR AGRICULTURE
USDA FOR FAS/IT/EAMED AND FAS/CMP/GFD
STATE PASS USTR FOR BERNSTEIN AND PORTER

NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR IT AU FAO
SUBJECT: ITALIAN POSITION ON ARTICLE 28
NEGOTIATIONS TO MODIFY RICE IMPORT REGIME

REF A: ROME O0839
REF B: STATE LO8223

UNCLAS ROME 001885

SIPDIS


USEU BRUSSELS FOR AGRICULTURE
USDA FOR FAS/IT/EAMED AND FAS/CMP/GFD
STATE PASS USTR FOR BERNSTEIN AND PORTER

NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR IT AU FAO
SUBJECT: ITALIAN POSITION ON ARTICLE 28
NEGOTIATIONS TO MODIFY RICE IMPORT REGIME

REF A: ROME O0839
REF B: STATE LO8223


1. CONSISTENT WITH OUR INITIAL REPORTING IN
REFTEL A, THE GOI HAS NOT CHANGED ITS
POSITION REGARDING ARTICLE XXVIII
NEGOTIATIONS. THEY WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE
NEGOTIATIONS TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT RICE
IMPORTS.


2. ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACT IN THE MINISTRY
OF AGRICULTURE, THE BLOCKING MINORITY HAS
NOT, TO HIS KNOWLEDGE, CHANGED ITS POSITION
AND THUS THE OPENING OF ARTICLE XXVIII IS NOT
LIKELY.

UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED

SIPDIS


3. THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL TO REVISE CAP
SUPPORT FOR THE RICE SECTOR IS LOWER THAN THE
CURRENT LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO PRODUCERS, AND
HENCE, NOT DESIRED BY ITALIAN AGRICULTURAL
INTERESTS. THE REDUCED INTERVENTION PRICE, IN
GOI TERMS, IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WHILE THE GOI
AGREES, IN PRINCIPLE, TO REDUCE THE
INTERVENTION PRICE FOR RICE, THEY BELIEVE
THAT THE LEVEL SHOULD GO TO EUROS 150 PER TON
FOR PADDY RICE.


4. ITALY, THE LARGEST RICE PRODUCER IN THE
EU, HAS SLIGHTLY SHIFTED RICE PRODUCTION BY
ABOUT 5 PERCENT FROM INDICA VARIETIES TO MORE
TRADITIONAL JAPONICA VARIETIES DUE TO IMPORT
PRESSURE. FOR 2003 OVERALL RICE PRODUCTION
AREA IS UNCHANGED. ANNUAL AGGREGATE
PRODUCTION, MILLED BASIS, IN THE PAST THREE
YEARS HAS AVERAGED 850,000 TONS.
SEMBLER

NNNN
2003ROME01885 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED