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