Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUALALUMPUR134
2008-02-26 23:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
DEMARCHE REGARDING MARCH WTO SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHKL #0134 0572338 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 262338Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0596 INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1549 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000134
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPA/MTA - CAROL HENNINGER
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS - MIKE TAYLOR
STATE PASS USTR - TODD NISSEN
USTR ALSO FOR BARBARA WEISEL AND DOUGLAS BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC
TREASURY FOR OASIA/ISA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD WTRO MY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REGARDING MARCH WTO SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
REF: STATE 018377
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000134
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPA/MTA - CAROL HENNINGER
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS - MIKE TAYLOR
STATE PASS USTR - TODD NISSEN
USTR ALSO FOR BARBARA WEISEL AND DOUGLAS BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC
TREASURY FOR OASIA/ISA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD WTRO MY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REGARDING MARCH WTO SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
REF: STATE 018377
1. (U) Econ counselor and econoff discussed reftel demarche with
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Deputy Secretary
General Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria on February 26. Econ
counselor also handed Rebecca the letter from USTR Susan Schwab to
Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz. Rebecca
promised to deliver the letter immediately to Minister Rafidah's
office; she noted, however, that the Minister is on the campaign
trail in advance of Malaysia's March 8 general election, and may not
see the letter for some time.
2. (U) Rebecca said Malaysia would be sending a team to Geneva for
talks the week of March 10. She said the team would include sectoral
experts, in particular from Bank Negara, Malaysia's central bank,
which oversees the financial services sector, as well as additional
experts from MITI and the Ministry of Agriculture. Rebecca noted
that Malaysia continues to consider ways to strengthen its services
offer, though MITI has been placing a higher priority of late on
services in the context of its bilateral FTA negotiations rather
than at the Doha Round, which she said was a longer-term process.
3. (SBU) Comment: Malaysia's services team likely will have limited
ability to make commitments during the week of March 10 given that
national elections will have just occurred. The new Malaysian
cabinet, which would need to provide authority for the team to make
new commitments, is not expected to be composed until a week after
the election, at the earliest. Unless the new government takes an
(unexpected) activist approach towards concluding the Doha Round,
any changes to Malaysia's services offer in the foreseeable future
will be more incremental than substantial.
KEITH
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPA/MTA - CAROL HENNINGER
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS - MIKE TAYLOR
STATE PASS USTR - TODD NISSEN
USTR ALSO FOR BARBARA WEISEL AND DOUGLAS BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC
TREASURY FOR OASIA/ISA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD WTRO MY
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REGARDING MARCH WTO SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS
REF: STATE 018377
1. (U) Econ counselor and econoff discussed reftel demarche with
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Deputy Secretary
General Datuk Dr. Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria on February 26. Econ
counselor also handed Rebecca the letter from USTR Susan Schwab to
Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz. Rebecca
promised to deliver the letter immediately to Minister Rafidah's
office; she noted, however, that the Minister is on the campaign
trail in advance of Malaysia's March 8 general election, and may not
see the letter for some time.
2. (U) Rebecca said Malaysia would be sending a team to Geneva for
talks the week of March 10. She said the team would include sectoral
experts, in particular from Bank Negara, Malaysia's central bank,
which oversees the financial services sector, as well as additional
experts from MITI and the Ministry of Agriculture. Rebecca noted
that Malaysia continues to consider ways to strengthen its services
offer, though MITI has been placing a higher priority of late on
services in the context of its bilateral FTA negotiations rather
than at the Doha Round, which she said was a longer-term process.
3. (SBU) Comment: Malaysia's services team likely will have limited
ability to make commitments during the week of March 10 given that
national elections will have just occurred. The new Malaysian
cabinet, which would need to provide authority for the team to make
new commitments, is not expected to be composed until a week after
the election, at the earliest. Unless the new government takes an
(unexpected) activist approach towards concluding the Doha Round,
any changes to Malaysia's services offer in the foreseeable future
will be more incremental than substantial.
KEITH