MEDIA REACTION - U.S. POULTRY TO ENTER CHILEAN MARKET

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000101 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/R/MR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC ECON EAGR CI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - U.S. POULTRY TO ENTER CHILEAN MARKET ¶1. Summary: Chile's Agriculture Minister Marigen Hornkohl announced on January 31 that U.S. poultry can now enter the Chilean market. She underscored the significance of this authorization stating, "The diversity, depth, and scope of the ties between Chile and the United States have taken our bilateral relations to its highest point in history." Chilean dailies quoted the Ambassador's remarks highlighting that agricultural trade between the two countries has more that doubled since the Chile-U.S FTA went into effect in 2004. End Summary. ¶2. Media headlines and excerpts about the authorization of U.S. poultry exports into Chile follow: ¶3. Business and financial daily "Diario Financiero" (circ. 30,000) headlined: "Chile authorizes entry of U.S. poultry products" Subheadline read: U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons thanked Chile's sanitary authorities for its work. Agreement also establishes periodic audits of the inspection system. ¶4. "After four years of negotiations in the framework of the Chile-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA),Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) approved the U.S. poultry and poultry product inspection, control and certification system, which will allow the entry of those products in the Chilean market.... In his remarks to reporters after the meeting, Ambassador Simons underscored that since the Chile-U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force in 2004, commercial exchange of agricultural products had more than doubled, benefiting citizens in both countries." ¶5. Government-owned, editorially independent "La Nacion" (circ. 4,200) ran a story titled: "Chile opens its doors to U.S. poultry meat and products, thanks to the FTA" ¶6. "The entry of U.S. poultry products into Chile became official yesterday after a meeting between Minister of Agriculture Marigen Hornkohl and U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons.... Ambassador Simons underscored that since the Chile-U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force in 2004, commercial exchanges of agricultural products had more than doubled. "Many Chilean products reach our market, such as wood, salmon, and agricultural products, and our products reach the Chilean market. This shows that the FTA is yielding benefits for citizens in both countries," said Simons. ¶7. "La Tercera," conservative, independent (circ. 101,000)" on line service (2/1) ran: "U.S poultry products to be sold in Chile" ¶8. "As part of a new step forward in the Chile-U.S. FTA signed in 2004, Minister of Agriculture Marigen Horknkohl announced, after a meeting with Ambassador Paul Simons, that U.S. poultry will begin to be sold in Chile.... Hornkohl said that since the signature of the bilateral FTA, the value of Chilean exports has increased by 151 percent." ¶9. "El Mercurio," conservative, influential newspaper-of-record (circ. 129,000)" on line service (2/1) headlined: "U.S. poultry meat gets SAG permit to enter the Chilean market" The subheadline read: "U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons underscored that agricultural commercial exchange has more that doubled since the bilateral FTA came into effect." ¶10. On line, independent news service "El Mostrador," quoted Minister Hornkohl: "The diversity, depth, and scope of the ties between Chile and the United States have taken our bilateral relations to its highest point in history." ¶11. "Publimetro," free publication distributed in the metro published: "Chile opens its market to U.S poultry meat." In the framework of a meeting between Minister of Agriculture Marigen Hornkohl and U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons, on Thursday, the authorization for the entry of U.S. poultry meat and products became official. The authorization is a new step forward for the bilateral free trade agreement. ¶12. Conservativa, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 101,000) headlined: "Chile opens its market to U.S. poultry meat and begins negotiations for citric products." SIMONS