Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SINGAPORE649
2006-03-02 09:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:
Singapore: USDA Acting U/S Lambert Discusses U.S.
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHGP #0649 0610949 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 020949Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9001 RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY INFO RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 3983 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5278 RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 2757
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000649
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR CMP/DLP, ITP/AAD
USDA FOR ACTING UNDER SECRETARY LAMBERT, APHIS/IS, FSIS
MANILA FOR APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON SENV SN
SUBJECT: Singapore: USDA Acting U/S Lambert Discusses U.S.
Beef
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000649
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR CMP/DLP, ITP/AAD
USDA FOR ACTING UNDER SECRETARY LAMBERT, APHIS/IS, FSIS
MANILA FOR APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON SENV SN
SUBJECT: Singapore: USDA Acting U/S Lambert Discusses U.S.
Beef
1. (SBU) In a March 1 meeting, USDA Acting Under Secretary
for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dr. Charles Lambert
thanked Singapore officials for reopening the country's
market to U.S. beef. He also thanked them for their
discretion in the handling of problems in the recent first
shipment. (Background: Upon the shipment's arrival, GOS
inspectors had identified certain quality defects unrelated
to food safety. The GOS had destroyed the substandard beef
and allowed the remainder of the shipment to enter the
market.) U/S Lambert told Minister of State for National
Development HENG Chee How that the United States intended to
fully abide by the terms of our current agreement that
limits U.S. exports to only boneless cuts of meat. Noting
that the safety of this shipment of beef was not in
question, he assured Minister of State Heng that USDA and
industry representatives were working closely with the
originating packing plant and other meat processors to
avoid, to the maximum extent possible, such problems in the
future.
2. (U) Minister of State Heng said that he welcomed USDA's
commitment to ensuring U.S. beef met Singapore's
requirements. He commented that the export agreement was a
win-win situation since Singapore was committed to
diversifying its food supply. He emphasized that Singapore
would continue to apply a science-based approach in
evaluating food safety.
3. (U) U/S Lambert expressed his hope that our export
agreement would soon include bone-in product and offals, in
line with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
guidelines and sound science. He said that we were prepared
to present a formal proposal in this regard. Minister of
State Heng said that Singapore was ready to work with USDA
and that discussions could take place in parallel to the
current market opening.
4. U/S Lambert cleared this message.
HERBOLD
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA FAS FOR CMP/DLP, ITP/AAD
USDA FOR ACTING UNDER SECRETARY LAMBERT, APHIS/IS, FSIS
MANILA FOR APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON SENV SN
SUBJECT: Singapore: USDA Acting U/S Lambert Discusses U.S.
Beef
1. (SBU) In a March 1 meeting, USDA Acting Under Secretary
for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dr. Charles Lambert
thanked Singapore officials for reopening the country's
market to U.S. beef. He also thanked them for their
discretion in the handling of problems in the recent first
shipment. (Background: Upon the shipment's arrival, GOS
inspectors had identified certain quality defects unrelated
to food safety. The GOS had destroyed the substandard beef
and allowed the remainder of the shipment to enter the
market.) U/S Lambert told Minister of State for National
Development HENG Chee How that the United States intended to
fully abide by the terms of our current agreement that
limits U.S. exports to only boneless cuts of meat. Noting
that the safety of this shipment of beef was not in
question, he assured Minister of State Heng that USDA and
industry representatives were working closely with the
originating packing plant and other meat processors to
avoid, to the maximum extent possible, such problems in the
future.
2. (U) Minister of State Heng said that he welcomed USDA's
commitment to ensuring U.S. beef met Singapore's
requirements. He commented that the export agreement was a
win-win situation since Singapore was committed to
diversifying its food supply. He emphasized that Singapore
would continue to apply a science-based approach in
evaluating food safety.
3. (U) U/S Lambert expressed his hope that our export
agreement would soon include bone-in product and offals, in
line with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
guidelines and sound science. He said that we were prepared
to present a formal proposal in this regard. Minister of
State Heng said that Singapore was ready to work with USDA
and that discussions could take place in parallel to the
current market opening.
4. U/S Lambert cleared this message.
HERBOLD