SWISS JUSTICE MINISTER BLOCHER PREVIEWS VISIT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000609 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN, EUR, S/CT E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2017 TAGS: PTER KJUS SZ SUBJECT: SWISS JUSTICE MINISTER BLOCHER PREVIEWS VISIT TO WASHINGTON REF: BERN 578 Classified By: Ambassador Peter Coneway, Reasons 1.4 b/d 1.(C) Ambassador Coneway met with Swiss Federal Councilor Christoph Blocher on July 3 to thank him for his interventions in gaining Swiss Parliament's passage of the U.S.-Swiss Operative Working Arrangement (OWA) on June 21 (reftel) and to preview Blocher's July 26-27 visit to Washington. The Ambassador, joined by Econoff, Poloff and Blocher's aide Corine Blesi, ran through the list of USG interlocutors meeting with Blocher, including Attorney General Gonzales, President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board Chairman Stephen Friedman, DHS Secretary Chertoff, DNI McConnell and several other senior officials. Combined with the recent passage of the OWA, these discussions should lead to an improved atmosphere for cooperation on counterterrorism and counterproliferation, the Ambassador said. It was now up to both sides to make the agreement meaningful at the working level. 2.(C) FC Blocher agreed that the OWA was a good base for cooperation. He expressed satisfaction with his Washington itinerary, but emphasized that he hoped to have some time to meet one-on-one with AG Gonzales and DHS Chertoff (though he might include his Director of the Office of Justice Michael Leupold). Blocher also underscored the importance of a press event being organized by the Swiss Embassy, especially to fend off unconstructive media speculation on the substance of his Washington meetings. 3.(C) Turning to trade issues, the Ambassador asked FC Blocher to provide backing to U.S.-Swiss free trade discussions. The Ambassador noted that Congress might renew the President's trade promotion authority (TPA),giving a new lease on life for Doha or a bilateral agreement. The USG and Switzerland, through their Trade and Investment Cooperation (TIC) Forum, had recently achieved progress in beef exports and look likely to make progress on e-commerce and enahced IPR cooperation. A free trade agreement would be in both country's interests. 4.(C) FC Blocher boasted that he had been the first proponent of a free trade agreement with the United States -- some ten years ago. The Swiss government of the time had rejected the proposal, insisting that the EU was Switzerland's partner, as if -- he quipped -- Switzerland could only have one. Blocher acknowledged that agriculture remained the problem, but offered that things should be simpler after the October 2007 elections. 5.(C) Comment: Federal Councilor Blocher was comfortable and open during the discussions, portraying an eagerness to resolve issues in the bilateral relationship. Also evident, however, was Blocher's appreciation of the political climate he is in, including the need to work carefully the public, press, Federal Council, and his own bureaucracy to achieve desired results. Indeed, Embassy's chief concern remains the willingness of Blocher's own senior staff (some of whom are appointed by the Federal Council as a whole, and not Blocher alone) to carry out his mandate for closer cooperation with the USG on law enforcement and intelligence. Thus, the message in Washington will need to convey our appreciation for Blocher's steps on behalf of bilateral cooperation, while prodding him in a firm but constructive manner to ensure follow-through. CONEWAY