GODR: DOMINICANS WERE COOPERATIVE AT CANCUN

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 005058

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR AND EB/TPP/MTA/;
PLEASE PASS TO USTR/A.DURKIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN ETRD EAGR DR
SUBJECT: GODR: DOMINICANS WERE COOPERATIVE AT CANCUN



1. (SBU) GODR INTERLOCUTORS HAVE ASSURED EMBOFFS THAT THEY
ENGAGED CONSTRUCTIVELY AND COOPERATIVELY DURING THE SEPTEMBER
10-14 WTO MINISTERIAL. ACCORDING TO SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (AND PRESIDENT OF INDOTEL),ORLANDO JORGE
MERA, AND THE GODR'S CHIEF AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATOR, OSMAR
BENITEZ, THE GODR DID NOT SUPPORT THE POSITION OF DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES WHOSE DELEGATES HAD WALKED OUT OF THE CONFERENCE.


2. (SBU) JORGE EXPLAINED THAT IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST BY
THE UNITED STATES DELEGATION, HE HAD MADE A PLENARY
INTERVENTION SUPPORTING THE UNITED STATES ON THE MERIT OF
SINGAPORE ISSUES. HE SAID THAT THE DOMINICANS HAD ALSO SHOWN
FLEXIBILITY ON NON-AGRICULTURAL MARKET ACCESS, ADDING THAT
THE GODR HAD RAISED LEGITIMATE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ON
AGRICULTURAL, BUT HAD NOT IMPEDED DISCUSSIONS. SUB SECRETARY
OF AGRICULTURE JESUS DE LOS SANTOS TOLD ECONOFF THAT THE
DOMINICAN DELEGATION HAD SPOKEN OUT IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING
THE NEGOTIATIONS.


3. (SBU) ALSO, THE FOREIGN SECRETARIAT'S UNDER SECRETARY FOR
TRADE NEGOTIATIONS SANTIAGO TEJADA TOLD ECONOFF SEPTEMBER 17
THAT HE HAD BEEN SURPRISED BY THE ABRUPT ENDING OF THE WTO
MINISTERIAL. HE SAID THAT HE HAD EXPECTED NEGOTIATIONS TO
CONTINUE UNTIL LATE SEPTEMBER 14 AND THAT AN AGREEMENT WAS
WITHIN REACH. TEJADA SAID THAT HE THOUGHT THE CHAIRPERSON
HAD ENDED THE MEETING TOO SOON.


4. (SBU) AGRICULTURAL NEGOTIATOR OSMAR BENITEZ TOLD DCM
SEPTEMBER 17 THAT HE DID NOT VIEW THE MINISTERIAL AS A
FAILURE. HE EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THE OBJECTIVES HAD NOT
BEEN MET, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD AGREEMENT
THAT COULD SERVE AS THE STARTING POINT DURING THE NEXT WTO
MEETINGS. HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE USG AND THE GODR SHOULD
BE ABLE TO AGREE ON AN APPROACH TO AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES, AS
LONG AS A THERE WOULD BE A SUFFICIENT PHASE-OUT PERIOD FOR
THE SUBSIDIES TO BE ENDED.


HERTELL