DEMARCHE ON UNCTAD XI TRADE ISSUE

UNCLAS ANKARA 001487 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/MST - NISSEN DEPT PASS USTR FOR BOHLING GENEVA FOR KEHOE SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD TU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON UNCTAD XI TRADE ISSUE Ref: STATE 51412 (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel points urging that the UNCTAD XI Conference not be used to derail progress in the WTO negotiations to Asim Arar, MFA Department Head for Multilateral Economic Affairs, and to Husnu Dilemre, Deputy Director General for Agreements at the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat. Arar and Dilemre told us that they would have to consult interagency on our points and were unable to provide an official response at this time. However, Arar offered the personal opinion that the USG had a valid argument that trade talks should be handled in the WTO context, and not in UNCTAD. Arar stated that the GOT's UNCTAD delegation would probably be led by Amb. Oktay Ozuye, MFA Director General for Economic Affairs, and that the delegation would include Foreign Trade and Geneva Mission representatives. Edelman