NEW ZEALAND RESPONDS TO APEC PROPOSALS ON CUSTOMS

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000727 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/EP-DAVID TOMCZYK AND EAP/ANP-THOMAS RAMSEY STATE PASS USTR-JAYME ROTH, AUDREY WINTER AND BARBARA NORTON E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECIN ETTC EINV NZ APECO SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND RESPONDS TO APEC PROPOSALS ON CUSTOMS DUTIES MORATORIUM AND ELIMINATING IT TARIFFS REF: (A) STATE 180617; (B) STATE 180612 ¶1. Post delivered ref talking points August 24 to Adele Bryant, deputy director in the economic division of New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. ¶2. On the proposal for permanently extending the customs duties moratorium on electronically transmitted products (ref B),Ms. Bryant said the ministry was awaiting clearance from the government's development agency before taking a final position. However, she said her government at this point expects to support the proposal. ¶3. On the proposal to eliminate tariffs on additional information technology products (ref A),Ms. Bryant said that, since the Second APEC Senior Officials' Meeting, her government has been working on a list of products for consideration but has not yet completed it. She said the ministry would continue to work closely with Barbara Norton at USTR on the proposal. Swindells