UPU CONGRESS DEMARCHE: AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000687


FOR IO/T - CHRIS WOOD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC ECON ETRD WTRO AS
SUBJECT: UPU CONGRESS DEMARCHE: AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE

REF: STATE 66814



1. (SBU) Summary. Econoff and Econ intern met with Richard
Desmond, acting Assistant Secretary for Consumer Protection
and Australia Post for the Department of Broadband,
Communication, and Digital Economy (DBCDE) to review U.S.
concerns for the UPU (Universal Postal Union) Congress in
Geneva, Switzerland from 23 July to 12 August 2008. Acting
Manager of DBCDE's Postal Policy Section Michael McLean also
joined the meeting. Although Australia has not finalized its
positions, Desmond, who will represent Australia at the UPU
Congress, said he believes Australia would likely support
U.S. positions with the possible exception of expanding
financial services, depending on the wording of a possible
proposal. End Summary.

US Candidacy for CA and POC
--------------


2. (SBU) Desmond said Australia had been approached by a
number of countries seeking election to the POC (Postal
Operations Council). He commented that Australia Post is
also a candidate to retain its position on the POC, and if a
change were to happen to allow third terms on the CA (Council
of Administration),Australia would run for re-election there
as well. Desmond said Australia would be looking to support
"like minded" countries for both, and noted that the United
States and Australia generally have similar views on UPU
issues. However, he said that Australia cannot commit in
advance on how it will vote.

UPU Mission Statement
--------------


3. (SBU) Australia has similar concerns and views about the
proposed change to the UPU mission statement. Desmond
opposes extending the UPU mission, saying the UPU should
"stick to its knitting." Like the United States, Desmond
said that for Australia, the WTO takes precedence and the UPU
should not impinge on WTO business.


4. (SBU) Desmond touched on what he sees as the growing
differences between the developed and developing world in
terms of postal administrations. In the long term, Desmond
hoped for greater distance between governments and postal
administrations, particularly in developing countries. The
government should establish the regulatory framework while
the postal administration should seek more efficient
operations, and the UPU should support this model.


5. (SBU) Desmond said that financial services is an issue
best left to individual members and that Australia's position
on a financial services proposal would depend on its wording.
Desmond felt that this issue is a matter of domestic policy.
He added that the GOA would probably not try to stop
Australia Post if it wanted to take the commercial decision
to offer some kinds of financial services such as selling
money orders.

Zero Growth
--------------


6. (SBU) Desmond said zero growth was a useful discipline for
the UPU, and a check on those would like to expand the UPU's
mission, and said Australia supports voluntary funds for
other functions such as the UPU cooperatives.

CLUNE