Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05VIENNA3442
2005-10-24 15:30:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA ON EU'S AGRICULTURAL MARKET

Tags:  EAGR ETRD AU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS VIENNA 003442 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: EAGR ETRD AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA ON EU'S AGRICULTURAL MARKET

ACCESS PROPOSAL

REF: A. (A) ALLGEIER CONFERENCE CALL 10/21/05


B. (B) STATE 195286


C. (C) VIENNA 3398


D. (D) STATE 190583

UNCLAS VIENNA 003442

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: EAGR ETRD AU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES TO AUSTRIA ON EU'S AGRICULTURAL MARKET

ACCESS PROPOSAL

REF: A. (A) ALLGEIER CONFERENCE CALL 10/21/05


B. (B) STATE 195286


C. (C) VIENNA 3398


D. (D) STATE 190583


1. In response to ref (a),Charge delivered our request for

Austria's support to key Austrian officials.


2. On Friday, October 21, Charge urged Agriculture Minister

Josef Proell to support reductions in tariffs to a zone

between the U.S. and the G-20 positions. Proell, who was

going to meet with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg on

October 24-25, said he hoped for a solution in WTO talks, but

added that he wants it to be a solution that "protects

Austrian farmers." Proell acknowledged the need for

reductions in market access protections and in amber box

domestic support, but said the U.S., Asia and the G-20 had to

reduce such supports, as well as cut export subsidies. He

said be believed a solution "within the mandate of the

Commission" was possible. He noted the difficulty in the

need to find solutions to issues such as non-agricultural

market access (NAMA) and services, as well. Proell also

pointed out disagreements on the sensitive products list.


3. Charge stressed that agriculture was blocking progress

across the board, and we had to address these issues in order

to move to NAMA and services. She noted that the U.S.

believed we were where we needed to be to negotiate on

domestic support and export subsidies. The key was the issue

of tariffs on agricultural products between developed

countries, and the Commission's proposal had to be within the

zone which the U.S. and G-20 proposals had defined. We

acknowledged the need for a realistic position on sensitive

products, as well.


4. On Monday, October 24, in the absence of the Foreign

Minister and her deputy, Charge met with Johannes Kyrle,

Austria's acting deputy foreign minister. Kyrle observed

that Proell was key on the issue, noted tha the government

must be responsive to the needs of the agricultural sector,

and undertook to get back to us on the Austrian position

expeditiously. The Charge pointed to the U.S.'s willingness

to put difficult and robust proposals on the table in order

to push ahead in Hong Kong and urged Austria to be equally

forward-leaning.


5. Economics Minister Martin Bartenstein remains out of town

(he is in London October 24-25). In his absence, post

conveyed our message to the Economics Ministry's Under

Secretary-level head of Foreign Trade, Josef Mayer. Per ref

SIPDIS

(c),the Economics Ministry has supported initiatives to

ensure that negotiations remain possible. We will follow up

with Bartenstein, who is now scheduled to meet with the

Deputy Secretary in Washington on October 28.

van Voorst