BAHRAIN: WTO SERVICE NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

UNCLAS MANAMA 000694 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB/TPP/MTA AWHITTEN GENEVA FOR USTR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD ECON BA WTO SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: WTO SERVICE NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE REF: A. MANAMA 670 ¶B. STATE 81619 ¶1. Ministry of Industry and Commerce Director of Foreign Trade Relations Abdul Razak Zainalabedin told EconOff May 15 that Bahrain submitted its initial offer in the ongoing General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) negotiations March 31, 2003 and held its first round of bilateral meetings with members of the WTO, including the United States, May ¶2003. Zainalabedin emphasized that the GOB shares the USG view that it is in every member's interest to participate in the services negotiations, both to secure a positive outcome on services itself and in support of wider Doha Development Agenda objectives. ¶2. Zainalebedin said the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is engaging with appropriate GOB officials to finalize Bahrain's revised WTO services negotiation offer (Ref B) and that the GOB expects to meet the May deadline. Bahrain will send a delegation to Geneva to hold another round of bilaterals during the upcoming services cluster June 27-July ¶1. MONROE