SACU MEETING ON FTA DEPUTIES GROUP INVITATION

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000796

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

DEPT FOR AF/S KGAITHER; AF/EPS; EB/TPP/BTA
USDOC FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA/JDIEMOND
COMMERCE ALSO FOR HVINEYARD
TREASURY FOR BRESNICK
DEPT PASS USTR FOR FLISER, CMOORE AND PCOLEMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD SF USTR
SUBJECT: SACU MEETING ON FTA DEPUTIES GROUP INVITATION

REF: 2004 WINDHOEK 905

(U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. Not for
Internet distribution.


1. (SBU) Econoff spoke today with Victor Mashabela, head of
the Americas desk in the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI),about the SACU meeting in Namibia that took place
February 24-25. Mashabela, who attended with SACU FTA Chief
Negotiator Xavier Carim, said most of the meeting of the
senior officials addressed institutional issues and that the
meeting went well. They also addressed the February 8
invitation from AUSTR Florie Liser to the Heads of
Delegation (HODS) to have a Deputies Group meeting in Geneva
on March 18. Mashabela said SACU was drafting a response
that he thought would be cleared and sent by early next
week. Pressed, he expected it would probably be a positive
response agreeing to March 18, but he did not know who would
attend from SACU. He noted the positive results of the
December 10 meeting in Walvis Bay between Ambassador
Zoellick and SACU ministers on finding a way forward on the
FTA (reftel). At the same time, presumably drawing on
discussions by the senior officials at last week's meeting,
he offered his personal view that both sides remain far
apart on some difficult issues.

FRAZER