DEMARCHES ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (GI'S) AND U.S. WTO

UNCLAS MASERU 000531 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON KIPR LT WTRO SUBJECT: DEMARCHES ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (GI'S) AND U.S. WTO PROPOSAL ON AGRICULTURE REF: A) STATE 190748 B) STATE 180474 ¶1. On October 19, DCM met separately with David Rantekoa, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Mohale Sekoto, Deputy Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (the highest level ministry official available) to present and discuss the talking points in refs. Also attending the second meeting was Khang Cekwane, Director of Marketing, Ministry of Trade and Industry. In addition, the Ambassador raised these issues with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ponts'o Sekatle on October 18. ¶2. GI'S: Rantekoa was receptive to the USG position regarding GI's, noting, in particular, the considerable administrative burdens that could result from EU-proposed special treatment of such names. A final GOL position, however, would have to await the results of an in-house Ministry review (in progress) and consultations with the Attorney General's Office, which covers intellectual property issues. The PS added that the EU (which has a mission in Maseru) had not approached him on this matter. Sekoto voiced general support for USG views, stressing that discussion of GI's should remain exclusively in the TRIPS Council. ¶3. U.S. WTO AGRICULTURE PROPOSAL: Rantekoa and Sekoto (and Cekwane) expressed appreciation for the USG initiative to spur progress in the Doha Round; the proposal on agriculture was very "positive" (Sekoto). All also agreed that agriculture is the key to success in Doha. Rantekoa noted that the GOL views agricultural issues as important for Lesotho in the long-term; as a Least Developed Country, Lesotho is currently not affected by many of the subsidies and other trade-distorting measures. As the country develops economically, such matters would have increasing impact. The PS said the EU should respond constructively to the USG proposal; he promised to discuss this with Minister Malie. Sekoto noted that the U.S. and EU must come to an agreement in order for there to be any progress on agriculture. LDC's, however, should be allowed to keep their special status or benefits in whatever final agreement is reached. The DPS and Cekwane noted that their respective ministries would be studying the U.S. proposal intensively to come up with a government position. ¶4. Both WTO issues were raised during the Ambassador's meeting with Acting MFA Sekatle. Sekatle agreed that developing countries would benefit from the U.S. proposal in agriculture. As Minister of Local Government, Sekatle is especially aware that potential agricultural exports from LDC's suffer from barriers such as those desired by the EU. PERRY