JORDAN TRADE MINISTRY ON FTA JOINT COMMITTEE AGENDA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 AMMAN 004252 SIPDIS SENSITIVE USDOC 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/WIEGLER STATE FOR NEA/ARN, EB/CBA STATE ALSO FOR EB/TPP/MTA/IPC P. QUIGLEY AND S. WILSON PASS TO USTR C. NOVELLI AND E. SAUMS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD KTIA KIPR PREL JO SUBJECT: JORDAN TRADE MINISTRY ON FTA JOINT COMMITTEE AGENDA REFS: (A) Schedlbauer-Gnehm-Hale email (05/08/04) (B)Amman 2574 (C)Amman 2494 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. FOR USG USE ONLY. NOT FOR RELEASE ON THE INTERNET. ¶1. This is an action request. See last para. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Ministry of Industry and Trade senior officials briefed embassy on the proposed agenda for the June 8 Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee meeting (the JC). A key change is the GOJ's likely submission of a revised list of goods for which they are seeking accelerated ted tariff reductions; the list may not be ready until soon before the JC. Other new items included a request to discuss Non-Agricultural Market Access; and to hear presentations from USAID on technical assistance related to customs, on overall bilateral assistance, and on trade capacity building (particularly in the garments and textiles sector). The GOJ omitted the U.S. Bio-terrorism Act and tourism from the proposed agenda. GOJ counterparts offered suggestions for timing on a proposed agenda meeting their general agreement on sequence. The GOJ has not yet informed us of details related to its expressed continued interest in raising Iraq Reconstruction and also on presenting plans to promote investment. The GOJ requests minutes be made of the JC. We are still awaiting a formal delegation list, but are assured that JABA will lead the private sector during a proposed lunch. Embassy requests Washington's concurrence with the proposed agenda to submit to DPM Halaiqa for his agreement after his return from Morocco on May 30. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) GOJ senior trade officials Amer Hadidi and Maha Ali on May 26 concluded discussions begun early May on the proposed JC agenda, settling on six general topics they had proposed (generally tracking refs A and C). They anticipated a brief ceremonial opening to the JC -- expressing the hope that USTR Zoellick would participate - but focused their comments on the JC content. On protocol issues, such as deciding who takes the lead on any given subject, Hadidi suggested that the JC remain informal, allowing the topic at hand to be the guide. This report outlines and explains the proposed agenda according to each of the six main points. (See full proposed agenda, including proposed timing, in para 25.) General Discussion -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The GOJ believes that a general review by the USTR on all FTAs worldwide - including but not limited to Middle East FTAS and the proposed MEFTA - would help the GOJ J better understand its options with the bilateral FTA. Having just concluded an FTA with Singapore, for example, the GOJ would like to explore possibilities of negotiating a new annex or protocol among the three nations that would allow accumulation of content on a preferential basis for goods jointly produced by Jordan and Singapore. ¶5. (SBU) The GOJ proposes to follow with an update on its trade agreements, including the newly concluded Jordan- Singapore FTA and the GOJ's amended agreement with Israel allowing for a QIZ-like arrangement with the EU. ¶6. (SBU) Hadidi said that the GOJ would lead off on a discussion of the end of the Multi-Fiber Agreement and its potential effects on Jordan's emerging garments industry. The GOJ would expect the USG to respond. (NOTE: Hadidi mentioned again that A/USTR Cathy Novelli had said last year that some future events would probably impact on China's potential dominance of the U.S. apparel market in a world without quotas. He hoped the USG presentation would explain what else might be in the offing, in addition to safeguards measures taken against China in the past few months. END NOTE.) ¶7. (SBU) On WTO-related issues, Maha Ali asked for a discussion on "WTO Ongoing Negotiations" saying that the GOJ would like to raise Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA),particularly the sectoral initiative as it relates to textiles and garments. ¶8. (SBU) As both the U.S. and the GOJ are required to file submissions to the WTO on the bilateral FTA, Hadidi said that it would be useful for the delegations to agree on how to coordinate this work. (USG to lead off.) ¶9. (SBU) On Jordan's GPA submission to the WTO, Ali said that if a new, revised entity offer is made in the WTO this summer, the multilateral GPA could well solve the GOJ's problems with "Buy America" provisions in the U.S. In the meantime, she implied that to satisfy domestic constituents the GOJ might ask for a waiver under the FTA of "Buy America." Hadidi asked if the U.S. had ever given such waivers. (Ambassador has made clear to DPM Halaiqa that such a waiver was unlikely to be granted.) U.S.-Jordan FTA -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Hadidi explained that close to half of the items included on Jordan's original list of goods for which it was seeking accelerated reduction of tariffs were "subject to dismantling." (Another MOIT sources said that a number of listed tariff items were going to be zeroed out in 2005.) Given this circumstance, the GOJ was revising its list of requested reductions, said Hadidi. The GOJ hoped to get the list to the USG by next week, he said. At the JC, he would expect the GOJ to go through the new list, explaining its requests. Acknowledging that such a request would require time-consuming consultations by USTR with U.S. domestic constituencies, Hadidi expressed the hope that USTR would at least join in a discussion in principle about the items on the list. ¶11. (SBU) On rules of origin (ROO),Hadidi explained that the GOJ was seeking a brief exchange on the provisions in the FTA calling for further bilateral consultations on ROO. DPM Halaiqa and the USG head of delegation might quickly give their blessing to such technical talks, he said. In the context of the preferential treatments offered by the FTA, the GOJ saw approved side-meetings (held at a later time, after the JC) as a way to iron out any additional protocols making possible Jordan's accumulation of content with "adjacent nations" such as Israel, Iraq and the Palestinian Authority (Article 13 of the FTA ROO Protocol) and with nations such as Singapore and Morocco. ¶12. (SBU) USTR's proposal to discuss both Jordanian and Egyptian QIZs is acceptable to the GOJ. The GOJ might respond briefly, but to date, the Ministry of Trade has taken the view that Jordan is a full competitor in the global marketplace and would attempt to meet the challenge of any Egyptian QIZs. The GOJ might make reference to Jordan's advanced economic reforms and commitment to meet international labor standards, but Embassy does not contemplate this being a long reply. FTA Implementation -------------- ¶13. (SBU) We propose to cap the morning session with the report on the Environmental Forum preparatory meeting (embassy environmental HUB's preferred language),which will have been held on June 7. Earlier embassy meetings established that GOJ Minister of Environment Alia Bouran would make the lead presentation in preparation for a proposed JC Environmental Forum in the fall. Hadidi mentioned debt swap as one possible topic, although He was uncertain of the details. (Email traffic between embassy and State Bureau of Oceans, Environmental and Scientific Affairs lays out the plan for this session.) Luncheon -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Embassy has passed JABA contact information to USTR to follow up the lunch hosted by the U.S-Jordan Business Alliance. Embassy Commercial Section is in contact with the Department of Commerce to add two U.S. representatives from sectors affected by DAMAN, possibly from the U.S. automotive and IT sectors. MOIT has asked that JABA be in the lead for the GOJ private sector at the lunch, so that there is no confusion with the separate trade delegation going on to Chicago. JABA may raise some of the issues already part of the JC agenda, such as E1/E2 visas and participation by Jordanian manufacturers in the Customs- Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT),mindful not to have needless repetition. JABA may raise the DAMAN program from the point of view of importers and may also discuss its leading role as the home of the "FTA Unit" (an information and consulting center to assist importers and exporters effectively use the FTA, based at JABA but funded by multiple Jordanian industrial and commercial associations as well as USAID). If the U.S. Bio-Terrorism Act comes up at all, this might be the venue, as one Jordanian company lost its food shipment over Christmas and believes the new regulations may have been partially responsible. Although JABA will just have concluded elections, current Chairman Azzam Schweihat is slated to lead the GOJ's JC private sector delegation, accompanied by and Rose Al-Issi, CEO of JABA. Also attending will be Mr. Samer Asfour of the Amman World Trade Center; Ms. Hanan Sboul, Secretary General of the Jordan Association of Manufacturers of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Appliances (JAPM); and Mr. Jad Makdah, President of CJC shirt manufacturers and a board member of the Amman Chamber of Industry. FTA Implementation -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Under the Customs heading, we propose to discuss the current levels of customs technical assistance funded by USAID through the AMIR program, including good work on risk- based assessment of imports. This would lead into a discussion of the DAMAN program. Dr. Ahmad Hindawi, the Jordan Institute of Standards director who runs DAMAN, will be part of the GOJ delegation. (On June 3, JABA will hold a needs assessment on DAMAN with the private sector, in preparation for its own domestic advocacy against certain problem areas of the pre-shipment inspection program.) ¶16. (SBU) The GOJ is prepared to make brief presentations on labor issues and to answer questions posed about the situation, especially in the QIZs. The Ministry of Labor worked on the USDOL-funded projects led by ILO; an MOIT delegate may review information provided by Jordan's MOL on the child labor program. ¶17. (SBU) A MOIT official will talk about Jordan's internet treaties accessions and plans for patents and trademarks treaties and protocols and will also likely brief on copyright law amendments. The GOJ would expect a USG response and/or questions. The GOJ proposes that the USG lead on IPR enforcement efforts, citing our specific concerns, to which the GOJ would respond. Embassy recommends a sub-topic on protections for pharmaceuticals (which the GOJ is prepared to discuss, if we take the lead). We are still consulting with PhRMA on Jordan's narrow, 12- month window for drug patent registrations and on the FosaMax drug copy case. (NOTE: Jordan hosts a WIPO conference on IPR June 1-3, to be attended by Susan Finston of PhRMA's Washington office.) ¶18. (SBU) The E1/E2 treaty trader/investor visa appears to be a soluble problem (nor has it been a source of friction). Embassy has confirmed that Jordan presently is issuing an equivalent, renewable visa valid for 12 months, multiple entries. Upon Department authorization, U.S. visa-issuing posts would be able to issue E1/E2 visas of the same validity and entries as an interim solution. Further, we believe that there is sufficient political will on the GOJ side to explore eventually making this a five-year, multiple-entry visa on a reciprocal basis, in accordance with Department standards. We believe at least one large exporter will apply for this visa. Reconstruction of Iraq -------------- ¶19. (SBU) DPM Halaiqa reportedly expressed a tentative interest in the reconstruction of Iraq. The MOIT could not give us any particulars and will discuss further with the DPM. If the agenda item remains without further elaboration, the MOIT said they would expect the USG-led discussion to be brief, unless there were significant new developments. (NOTE: If the FTA Implementation session goes long in the afternoon, we could make up time here.) Technical Cooperation -------------- ¶20. (SBU) The GOJ has requested presentations from the USG on various aspects of the bilateral assistance program, most particularly as it affects trade capacity building, and especially in the garments sector. The USAID mission plans to send a representative to make the presentation to the JC. The GOJ cabinet recently approved Jordan's national strategy for the textiles and garments sector and Jordan wants to enhance trade facilitation in this area. (COMMENT: This is designed to be another opportunity for the GOJ to make known its assistance needs. We were told the Jordan Investment Board might make a pitch and that the GOJ might pass on a Customs Department request for technical assistance related to rules of origin. END COMMENT.) Other Issues -------------- ¶21. (SBU) Jordan is prepared to respond to our concerns about bans on certain food imports. Embassy advised that our concern about shelf life was to seek a briefing on the status of implementation of WTO-compliant rules and regulations. (NOTE: If still a concern, MOIT requests us to provide in advance specifics on the issues.) Based on advice received from the USAID AMIR program, the MOIT is expressing renewed interest in a double taxation treaty. DPM Halaiqa would like a further briefing if the GOJ would not have to divulge as much information as originally thought. The U.S.-Turkey tax treaty, Article 26, was cited as an example of a potentially feasible agreement. Reem Badran of the Jordan Investment Board may make a presentation on investment; MOIT is checking further on this. ¶22. (SBU) Petra Engineering, which ships over 500 containers to the U.S. per year would like to take part in the C-TPAT program, facilitating speedy entry to containers for vetted, secure companies. We explained to GOJ counterparts that this is a by-invitation-only arrangement run by USDHS Customs and Border Protection. The GOJ would like to learn more about the program and seek assistance to get Petra a place at the C-TPAT table. Dropped Topics -------------- ¶23. (SBU) The U.S. Bio-terrorism Act and tourism in Jordan were not raised again by the MOIT. They did not express an interest in pursuing these topics. Logistics -------------- ¶24. (SBU) When the MOIT responds with a final list of delegates, Embassy will fax it to the Department. An invitation to the JC, citing venue would be welcomed by the GOJ, as would any additional information on the proposed luncheon. Embassy plans to send the DCM, USAID Economic Opportunities Office Director, and Economic Officer to attend the JC. MOIT's Hadidi and Ali expressed an interest in having formal minutes for the JC meeting. Hadidi recalled that there were no minutes from the December 2002 JC, and this gap was remarked upon by officials back home. It is a regular GOJ practice to have minutes for official meetings, he added. (COMMENT: If USTR agrees, Embassy recommends the USG supply professional-level transcription for the JC, obtaining agreement in advance that the resultant product would be "informal minutes." Although an additional resource demand, arranging these informal minutes would enable us to resolve any differences of view regarding the outcome of the JC. END COMMENT.) Proposed Agenda -------------- ¶25. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF PROPOSED AGENDA NOTE: Following each item is lead presenter (and follow-on, as appropriate),as tentatively agreed with the GOJ. MORNING SESSION ¶1. GENERAL DISCUSSION (1 hour) -- Status of U.S. FTA's worldwide, including in ME and MEFTA - USG -- Update on Jordan's Trade Agreements and related economic developments - GOJ -- The MFA and the future of the world textiles and garments trade GOJ, USG -- WTO-related issues - WTO ongoing negotiations GOJ, USG - Discussion on coordinating submissions on FTA to WTO - USG, GOJ - Brief on Jordan's GPA submission to WTO - GOJ ¶2. THE U.S.-JORDAN FTA (1 hour) -- Jordan's revised request to accelerate tariff reductions under FTA - GOJ, USG -- Brief discussion of rules of origin and accumulation of content - GOJ, USG -- QIZ's - USG, GOJ ¶3. FTA IMPLEMENTATION (= hour) -- Environment report of USG/GOJ Environmental Forum preparatory meeting GOJ, USG LUNCH (1 = hours) -- Hosted by U.S.-Jordan Business Alliance with private ate sector participants -- During last half hour, a moderator will lead discussion with private sector - Each private sector head will give a very brief presentation -Moderator to oversee Q&A between private sectors and governments AFTERNOON SESSION ¶3. FTA IMPLEMENTATION (continued) (1 hour) -- Customs (USG, GOJ) - Technical assistance to Jordan USG, GOJ - DAMAN pre-shipment inspection program USG, GOJ -- Labor - Labor issues in QIZs GOJ, USG - Status of MOL/ILO projects in Jordan GOJ, USG -- IPR - Legal framework, including convention and treaty obligations GOJ, USG - Jordanian copyright law amendments GOJ, USG - Enforcement efforts USG, GOJ - Protections for pharmaceuticals USG, GOJ -- E1/E2 Treaty Trader/Investor visas USG, GOJ ¶4. RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ (tentative; GOJ to add subtopics) (= hour) -- Access to Iraqi market - USG ¶5. TECHNICAL COOPERATION (= hour) -- Overall bilateral assistance program - USG ram - USG -- USAID's trade facilitation program USG, GOJ -- Assistance to facilitate trade in garments and textiles GOJ, USG ¶6. OTHER ISSUES (= hour) -- Agriculture - GOJ's BSE ban (beef) and avian influenza ban (chicken) USG, GOJ - Implementation of WTO-compliant shelf life regulations for foods USG, GOJ -- Double taxation GOJ, USG -- Investment GOJ (tentative) -- Private Sector Issues - CTPAT program participation for Jordanian manufacturing firms - USG, GOJ ¶26. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Embassy requests Department's concurrence with a final proposed JC agenda to pass to the Government of Jordan to seek DPM Halaiqa's final agreement after his return from Morocco on Sunday, May 30. GNEHM GNEHM