Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ISTANBUL437
2007-05-24 09:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Istanbul
Cable title:
THE D-8 SECRETARIAT: AN INSTITUTION IN SEARCH OF A
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UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000437
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS/OCRA/JFLEMINGS
USDA/FAS/OFSO/JDEVER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN PREL TU IR
SUBJECT: THE D-8 SECRETARIAT: AN INSTITUTION IN SEARCH OF A
MISSION
UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000437
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS/OCRA/JFLEMINGS
USDA/FAS/OFSO/JDEVER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN PREL TU IR
SUBJECT: THE D-8 SECRETARIAT: AN INSTITUTION IN SEARCH OF A
MISSION
1. (SBU) Summary: We met recently with Dipo Alam, the newly
arrived Secretary General of the Developing Eight (D-8)
organization. According to Alam the D-8's primary focus is
fostering economic development through closer trade ties
among the member states as well as cooperation with the
United States and the European Union. It remains to be seen
however, whether the D-8 can carve out a niche as an
effective non-regionally-based multilateral organization.
End Summary.
2. (U) The Secretariat of the "Developing Eight" (D-8) group
of countries rotates every two years among the member states
- Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan , and Turkey - and is currently based in Istanbul.
Secretary General Dipo Alam described the organization as a
SIPDIS
grouping that grew out of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) in the late 1990's and is now focused on
trade and economic cooperation among the member states.
According to Alam, the impetus for the creation of the
organization was a friendship between then-Turkish President
Erbakan and then-Indonesian President Habibi, both of whom
were graduates of Aachen University in Germany. The D-8 was
established on June 15, 1997 in Istanbul. The organization
holds a summit meeting every two years and meets annually at
the foreign minister level on the margins of UNGA. The next
summit meeting will take place in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.
3. (U) On May 14, 2006, at the Bali Summit seven of the eight
member states (all except Bangladesh) signed a preferential
trade agreement designed to promote cooperation and foster
trade among the member states. The D-8 has an internal trade
volume of approximately $31 billion and a combined population
of over 800 million, approximately 14% of the world
population. Alam expressed his hope that internal trade
would double or triple as a result of the agreement, but
agreed that the geographically diverse nature of the group
complicated this effort.
4. (U) Alam expressed his organization's interest in
increasing exports to both the United States and European
Union. He sought assistance in learning more about
regulations governing the export of agricultural products,
particularly organics, to the United States as well as more
detail on environmental regulations that might affect
agricultural trade. Alam cited alternative energy,
particularly the production of biodiesel or other biofuels
from palm oil or olive oil as a subject of particular
interest for the D-8, noting that a working group on
alternative energy would meet in Cairo in the autumn.
5. (SBU) Comment: Alam is an engaging interlocutor,
U.S.-educated and familiar with the workings of the U.S.
government courtesy in part to his wife's tenure as an
employee of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. However, it is
unclear whether the D-8 will evolve a unique development
role. In separate conversations with us and Ankara-based FAS
counselor Alam was unable to describe how the D-8 would bring
something new to the table that would distinguish it from
other regional or sub-regional groupings. End Comment.
JONES
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
USDA/FAS/OCRA/JFLEMINGS
USDA/FAS/OFSO/JDEVER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN PREL TU IR
SUBJECT: THE D-8 SECRETARIAT: AN INSTITUTION IN SEARCH OF A
MISSION
1. (SBU) Summary: We met recently with Dipo Alam, the newly
arrived Secretary General of the Developing Eight (D-8)
organization. According to Alam the D-8's primary focus is
fostering economic development through closer trade ties
among the member states as well as cooperation with the
United States and the European Union. It remains to be seen
however, whether the D-8 can carve out a niche as an
effective non-regionally-based multilateral organization.
End Summary.
2. (U) The Secretariat of the "Developing Eight" (D-8) group
of countries rotates every two years among the member states
- Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan , and Turkey - and is currently based in Istanbul.
Secretary General Dipo Alam described the organization as a
SIPDIS
grouping that grew out of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) in the late 1990's and is now focused on
trade and economic cooperation among the member states.
According to Alam, the impetus for the creation of the
organization was a friendship between then-Turkish President
Erbakan and then-Indonesian President Habibi, both of whom
were graduates of Aachen University in Germany. The D-8 was
established on June 15, 1997 in Istanbul. The organization
holds a summit meeting every two years and meets annually at
the foreign minister level on the margins of UNGA. The next
summit meeting will take place in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.
3. (U) On May 14, 2006, at the Bali Summit seven of the eight
member states (all except Bangladesh) signed a preferential
trade agreement designed to promote cooperation and foster
trade among the member states. The D-8 has an internal trade
volume of approximately $31 billion and a combined population
of over 800 million, approximately 14% of the world
population. Alam expressed his hope that internal trade
would double or triple as a result of the agreement, but
agreed that the geographically diverse nature of the group
complicated this effort.
4. (U) Alam expressed his organization's interest in
increasing exports to both the United States and European
Union. He sought assistance in learning more about
regulations governing the export of agricultural products,
particularly organics, to the United States as well as more
detail on environmental regulations that might affect
agricultural trade. Alam cited alternative energy,
particularly the production of biodiesel or other biofuels
from palm oil or olive oil as a subject of particular
interest for the D-8, noting that a working group on
alternative energy would meet in Cairo in the autumn.
5. (SBU) Comment: Alam is an engaging interlocutor,
U.S.-educated and familiar with the workings of the U.S.
government courtesy in part to his wife's tenure as an
employee of the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. However, it is
unclear whether the D-8 will evolve a unique development
role. In separate conversations with us and Ankara-based FAS
counselor Alam was unable to describe how the D-8 would bring
something new to the table that would distinguish it from
other regional or sub-regional groupings. End Comment.
JONES