Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CANBERRA1194
2008-11-26 06:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHBY #1194 3310615 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 260615Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0580 INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS CANBERRA 001194
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB M LURIE, J SPECK, USAID FOR B HAMMINK
DEPT PASS TO USAID - USDA FOR K MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE
AND FOOD
REF: STATE 123480
UNCLAS CANBERRA 001194
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB M LURIE, J SPECK, USAID FOR B HAMMINK
DEPT PASS TO USAID - USDA FOR K MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE
AND FOOD
REF: STATE 123480
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post Economic and Agriculture officers met with
officials from Australian Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
and Forestry (DAFF),Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),
and AusAID to discuss the Global Partnership on Agriculture and Food
(GPAF). The GOA expressed strong interest in possibly participating
in the GPAF and plans on providing the Embassy a formal response to
the talking points. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Embassy officers met with GOA officials on Wednesday
November 25 to learn the reaction of the government to the talking
points contained in ref cable. Discussing the food situation in
general terms, they stated that AusAID and DFAT some months ago
formed a task force to coordinate the government's response to the
global food security issues. It was clear from the meeting that the
Rudd government takes the global food security issue very seriously
as well as the GPAF. AusAID is sending one of their higher level
staff to Brussels and Paris next week to meet with appropriate EU
and French officials respectively to discuss the GPAF.
3. (SBU) The GOA officials expressed their general satisfaction with
the notion that the United Nations High-Level Task Force (HLTF)
would be the proposed Secretariat. Nonetheless, they requested more
information on how the GPAF would serve as a body to coordinate real
program and policy responses and not develop into a "talk fest."
The Australian officials referred to an FAO proposed follow up
meeting to the June Rome meeting and asked for clarification on how
the GPAF meeting would not be a redundant.
5. (SBU) Post will forward the coordinated Australian government
response to our demarche once it is finalized, likely later this
week. Any decision on whether Australia will actually join GPAF,
however, will require Ministerial approval that might take a little
more time.
MCCALLUM
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB M LURIE, J SPECK, USAID FOR B HAMMINK
DEPT PASS TO USAID - USDA FOR K MILLER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE
AND FOOD
REF: STATE 123480
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Post Economic and Agriculture officers met with
officials from Australian Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
and Forestry (DAFF),Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),
and AusAID to discuss the Global Partnership on Agriculture and Food
(GPAF). The GOA expressed strong interest in possibly participating
in the GPAF and plans on providing the Embassy a formal response to
the talking points. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) Embassy officers met with GOA officials on Wednesday
November 25 to learn the reaction of the government to the talking
points contained in ref cable. Discussing the food situation in
general terms, they stated that AusAID and DFAT some months ago
formed a task force to coordinate the government's response to the
global food security issues. It was clear from the meeting that the
Rudd government takes the global food security issue very seriously
as well as the GPAF. AusAID is sending one of their higher level
staff to Brussels and Paris next week to meet with appropriate EU
and French officials respectively to discuss the GPAF.
3. (SBU) The GOA officials expressed their general satisfaction with
the notion that the United Nations High-Level Task Force (HLTF)
would be the proposed Secretariat. Nonetheless, they requested more
information on how the GPAF would serve as a body to coordinate real
program and policy responses and not develop into a "talk fest."
The Australian officials referred to an FAO proposed follow up
meeting to the June Rome meeting and asked for clarification on how
the GPAF meeting would not be a redundant.
5. (SBU) Post will forward the coordinated Australian government
response to our demarche once it is finalized, likely later this
week. Any decision on whether Australia will actually join GPAF,
however, will require Ministerial approval that might take a little
more time.
MCCALLUM