DISCUSSIONS ON PERUVIAN BEEF RESTRICTIONS

UNCLAS LIMA 003883 SIPDIS SIPDIS USTR FOR B HARMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD EAGR USTR PE SUBJECT: DISCUSSIONS ON PERUVIAN BEEF RESTRICTIONS ¶1. On September 27, AgCounselor met with Dr. Jose Espinoza, Director of Peru's National Animal and Plant Health Service (SENASA) to discuss the latest developments related to lifting all restrictions on exports of U.S. beef. Dr. Espinoza confirmed that he had just forwarded to USTR the report referred to in the draft letter from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and that had been requested by USTR. The letter is part of the discussions related to provisions in the U.S. Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA). ¶2. As the pending action by the GOP involves a Supreme Decree, preparation of the report involved both animal and public health authorities. Therefore, the report was prepared by an inter-agency commission and concluded that the United States is a controlled risk country for BSE. ¶3. Dr. Espinoza stated that the animal and human health officials involved in preparing the report were satisfied with the conclusion and supported actions taken to open the Peruvian market to all U.S. beef. He attributed any delay in forwarding the report to their efforts of trying to bring Andean Community partners Bolivia and Ecuador around to the Colombian and Peruvian position. STRUBLE