Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT5044
2005-12-07 11:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
GOK SUPPORTS U.S. WTO PROPOSAL IN PRINCIPLE,
how-toVZCZCXRO7434 PP RUEHAP RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHHM RUEHLZ RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHPB DE RUEHKU #5044 3411142 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 071142Z DEC 05 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2061 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNWTO/WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS KUWAIT 005044
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD KPAO OIIP PGOV PREL WTO KU
SUBJECT: GOK SUPPORTS U.S. WTO PROPOSAL IN PRINCIPLE,
WAITING FOR MORE DETAILS
REF: A. STATE 209236
¶B. STATE 211956
¶C. KUWAIT 4962
(SBU) On December 7, Econoff met with Economic Department
Deputy Jarrah Al-Sabah at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
discuss Kuwait's position ahead of the WTO Hong Kong
Ministerial December 13-18. Econoff delivered talking points
from Refs A & B (previously delivered via diplomatic note),
and discussed GOK's position on the U.S. agricultural
proposal. Al-Sabah stated that the GOK supports the U.S.
proposal in principle, agreeing with its aims to reduce
tariffs and subsidies, and to alleviate poverty. However,
Al-Sabah noted that the GOK expects that the details of the
proposal may change during the Hong Kong negotiations, and
prefers to wait and see exactly which changes take place
before fully endorsing the proposal. In reference to
Econoff's questions regarding U/S for Commerce's comment that
the GOK is waiting for an "Arab Consensus" (Ref C),Al-Sabah
said that he was unaware of any expectation that there would
be such a consensus, noting that Kuwait's lack of an
agricultural base makes it unlikely to reach full agreement
with Arab countries with agricultural export industries.
LEBARON