Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NICOSIA1000
2006-06-29 13:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
CYPRUS -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED: WTO DOHA ROUND
how-toVZCZCXYZ0027 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHNC #1000 1801310 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 291310Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6302 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 3621 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 0363 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1214 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 0490 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0201 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
UNCLAS NICOSIA 001000
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON EUN CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED: WTO DOHA ROUND
NEGOTIATIONS
REF: SECSTATE 104561
(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
UNCLAS NICOSIA 001000
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON EUN CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED: WTO DOHA ROUND
NEGOTIATIONS
REF: SECSTATE 104561
(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) We delivered reftel demarche June 28 to Commerce
Ministry Trade Director and 133 Committee Representative
Andreas Sofocleous. Sofocleous replied that the EU was
signaling that it was willing to improve its agricultural
market access offer but only if the U.S. was willing to both
accept less ambitious tariff cuts and offer even further
reductions in its farm subsidies. It was impossible for the
EU to offer significant cuts in agricultural tariffs. EU
tariff cuts were also opposed by many in the developing world
who received preferential access to the EU market. Cutting
tariffs for everyone would just erode their advantage thus
hampering their development. Cyprus strongly supported the
EU position and felt that without further U.S. movement on
agriculture, progress in Geneva was in doubt. Sofocleous
added that geographic indications was a critical issue for
Cyprus. Cyprus was likely to oppose any deal that did not
include movement on GIs. (Note: Cyprus is pushing for GI
protections for its Halloumi cheese. End note.) We pushed
back hard but appeared to make little progress.
2. (SBU) On June 29, the Ambassador delivered reftel points
to new Commerce Minister Antonis Michaelides. Michaelides
had not yet been briefed by his staff on this issue and had
no substantive reply.
3. (SBU) Comment: Sofocleous regularly sticks close to
European Commission talking points and we can expect Cyprus
to continue to parrot whatever it perceives to be the EU
line. Previous Commerce (now Foreign) Minister Lillikas
admitted to us several months ago that Cyprus had traded its
vote on WTO agricultural issues to the French for support on
unrelated political issues. We see no sign that Cyprus is
reconsidering this position.
SCHLICHER
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ECON EUN CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED: WTO DOHA ROUND
NEGOTIATIONS
REF: SECSTATE 104561
(U) This message is sensitive but unclassified. Please
protect accordingly.
1. (SBU) We delivered reftel demarche June 28 to Commerce
Ministry Trade Director and 133 Committee Representative
Andreas Sofocleous. Sofocleous replied that the EU was
signaling that it was willing to improve its agricultural
market access offer but only if the U.S. was willing to both
accept less ambitious tariff cuts and offer even further
reductions in its farm subsidies. It was impossible for the
EU to offer significant cuts in agricultural tariffs. EU
tariff cuts were also opposed by many in the developing world
who received preferential access to the EU market. Cutting
tariffs for everyone would just erode their advantage thus
hampering their development. Cyprus strongly supported the
EU position and felt that without further U.S. movement on
agriculture, progress in Geneva was in doubt. Sofocleous
added that geographic indications was a critical issue for
Cyprus. Cyprus was likely to oppose any deal that did not
include movement on GIs. (Note: Cyprus is pushing for GI
protections for its Halloumi cheese. End note.) We pushed
back hard but appeared to make little progress.
2. (SBU) On June 29, the Ambassador delivered reftel points
to new Commerce Minister Antonis Michaelides. Michaelides
had not yet been briefed by his staff on this issue and had
no substantive reply.
3. (SBU) Comment: Sofocleous regularly sticks close to
European Commission talking points and we can expect Cyprus
to continue to parrot whatever it perceives to be the EU
line. Previous Commerce (now Foreign) Minister Lillikas
admitted to us several months ago that Cyprus had traded its
vote on WTO agricultural issues to the French for support on
unrelated political issues. We see no sign that Cyprus is
reconsidering this position.
SCHLICHER