Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA3398
2005-10-19 08:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: REQUEST FOR EU MEMBER STATES

Tags:  EAGR ETRD AU WTRO 
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UNCLAS VIENNA 003398 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER
COMMERCE FOR ITA/USFCS - THOMAS MOORE AND ITA/MAC - KELLY
PARSONS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD AU WTRO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: REQUEST FOR EU MEMBER STATES
TO SUPPORT U.S. WTO AG PROPOSAL

REF: A. (A) STATE 190730

B. (B) PHILLIPS-CHASE E-MAIL 10/17/05

This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please treat
accordingly.

UNCLAS VIENNA 003398

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER
COMMERCE FOR ITA/USFCS - THOMAS MOORE AND ITA/MAC - KELLY
PARSONS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD AU WTRO
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO AUSTRIA: REQUEST FOR EU MEMBER STATES
TO SUPPORT U.S. WTO AG PROPOSAL

REF: A. (A) STATE 190730

B. (B) PHILLIPS-CHASE E-MAIL 10/17/05

This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please treat
accordingly.


1. (U) Post delivered ref (a) points on October 17 to key
trade officials in the Ministries of Economics and
Agriculture. In a preliminary discussion on October 17, the
Economics Ministry's Multilateral Trade Division head,
Gabriela Habermayer, told us she would ensure that the
Austrian delegation in Luxembourg received our demarche.
Habermayer added that she did not expect the October 18 EU
Council meeting to result in any clear mandate to the
Commission to go beyond its current negotiating mandate to
discuss the U.S. proposal.


2. (SBU) On October 18, EconPolCouns and Senior Commercial
Officer met with Habermayer to discuss the U.S. proposal
further. Habermayer explained that the Commission believed
it was well within its existing mandate to negotiate on the
basis of the U.S. proposal, so it had not requested an
expansion of its mandate.


3. (SBU) The Austrian position was that there had to be a
balance between all the items up for negotiation in the WTO,
Habermayer said. In addition, all players, especially Brazil
and India, had to engage in the discussions, and the talks
had to include such issues as non-agricultural market access
(NAMA) and services. Habermayer noted that there was a
difference of views between the Austrian Economics Ministry
and the Agriculture Ministry. The Economics Ministry took an
"offensive" approach, seeking flexibility in the various
sectors. The Economics Minister had expressed surprise when
his colleague at the Agriculture Ministry signed on to a
French memorandum which was "defensive" in supporting current
benefits and prerogatives for Austrian farmers. That said,
Habermayer expressed a desire for all parties in the WTO
discussions to make a commitment to discuss the range of
issues. As the U.S. had argued, this should include not only
agricultural market access, but also export subsidies and
internal support.
van Voorst