Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUALALUMPUR580
2008-07-08 06:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
THE PRESIDENT'S GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE AND TRADE
how-toVZCZCXRO1644 RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHKL #0580 1900615 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 080615Z JUL 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1314 INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1584
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000580
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTA - CHEVER VOLTMER, EEB/TPP/ABT - GARY CLEMENTS
AND EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS AND EAP/EP
STATE PASS USTR FOR WEISEL AND BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD ENRG TBIO MY
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE AND TRADE
REF: A) STATE 52628
B) KUALA LUMPUR 357
C) KUALA LUMPUR 476
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000580
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTA - CHEVER VOLTMER, EEB/TPP/ABT - GARY CLEMENTS
AND EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS AND EAP/EP
STATE PASS USTR FOR WEISEL AND BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD ENRG TBIO MY
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE AND TRADE
REF: A) STATE 52628
B) KUALA LUMPUR 357
C) KUALA LUMPUR 476
1. Econoff passed information on the President's Global Food
Security Initiative (ref A) to Abdul Rahman Mamat, Secretary
General, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). On
June 20, 2008, we received the following written response from
Zulkafli Abdul Karim, Senior Director, Multilateral Trade Policy and
Negotiations, MITI:
"We welcome the United States Global Food Security Initiative and
Trade, and note the measures outlined to address the issue of
increases in food prices world-wide.
The world-wide increase in food prices is discomforting and has
adversely affected Malaysia too. For Malaysia this development calls
for actions on increasing productivity of agriculture and food
industries globally.
At the same time, the resultant high income of farmers presents an
opportunity for the pertinent developed countries to undertake
agriculture reforms in line with the expected outcomes of the Doha
Round negotiations, in particular the removal of unfair trade
distorting subsidies in agriculture.
Malaysia is committed to seeing an early conclusion of the Doha
Round. We need to work expeditiously to conclude in particular the
agriculture negotiations, with a view to securing positive outcomes
across the pillars of market access, domestic support and export
competition."
2. Ref B provides an overview of the impact on Malaysia of rising
prices for food and commodities. In the last two months Malaysia's
food supply has stabilized further. The price of Thai B rice has
dropped from a high of USD 1080 per metric ton in April to about USD
770 per ton. Malaysia's monopoly rice importer Bernas is confident
about its ability to continue to meet rice demand in Malaysia, and
is expected to start building up its stock of rice once the price of
Thai B rice drops to around USD 660 per ton. With food prices
stabilizing, Malaysians have been more focused in the last month on
the price of fuel rather than food prices, including most
prominently the 40 percent price increase for petrol announced on
June 4 (ref C).
KEITH
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTA - CHEVER VOLTMER, EEB/TPP/ABT - GARY CLEMENTS
AND EEB/TPP - MIKAEL LURIE
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/MTS AND EAP/EP
STATE PASS USTR FOR WEISEL AND BELL
GENEVA FOR USTR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR EAID ECON ETRD ENRG TBIO MY
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE AND TRADE
REF: A) STATE 52628
B) KUALA LUMPUR 357
C) KUALA LUMPUR 476
1. Econoff passed information on the President's Global Food
Security Initiative (ref A) to Abdul Rahman Mamat, Secretary
General, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). On
June 20, 2008, we received the following written response from
Zulkafli Abdul Karim, Senior Director, Multilateral Trade Policy and
Negotiations, MITI:
"We welcome the United States Global Food Security Initiative and
Trade, and note the measures outlined to address the issue of
increases in food prices world-wide.
The world-wide increase in food prices is discomforting and has
adversely affected Malaysia too. For Malaysia this development calls
for actions on increasing productivity of agriculture and food
industries globally.
At the same time, the resultant high income of farmers presents an
opportunity for the pertinent developed countries to undertake
agriculture reforms in line with the expected outcomes of the Doha
Round negotiations, in particular the removal of unfair trade
distorting subsidies in agriculture.
Malaysia is committed to seeing an early conclusion of the Doha
Round. We need to work expeditiously to conclude in particular the
agriculture negotiations, with a view to securing positive outcomes
across the pillars of market access, domestic support and export
competition."
2. Ref B provides an overview of the impact on Malaysia of rising
prices for food and commodities. In the last two months Malaysia's
food supply has stabilized further. The price of Thai B rice has
dropped from a high of USD 1080 per metric ton in April to about USD
770 per ton. Malaysia's monopoly rice importer Bernas is confident
about its ability to continue to meet rice demand in Malaysia, and
is expected to start building up its stock of rice once the price of
Thai B rice drops to around USD 660 per ton. With food prices
stabilizing, Malaysians have been more focused in the last month on
the price of fuel rather than food prices, including most
prominently the 40 percent price increase for petrol announced on
June 4 (ref C).
KEITH