Greece: Geographical Indications and CBD Patent Disclosure

UNCLAS ATHENS 001569

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR TANUJA GARDE AND DAWN SHACKLEFORD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EUN KIPR GR
SUBJECT: Greece: Geographical Indications and CBD Patent Disclosure

REF: STATE 104985


1. (SBU) EconOff delivered reftel demarche on October 23 to
Panayiotis Dermentzoglou, First Secretary for Economic and
Commercial Affairs, and Nikolaos Doukas, AttachC) for Economic and
Commercial Affairs, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).




2. (SBU) Doukas and Dermentzoglou took the points on board and
assured EconOff that they would pass the details of the U.S.
position on to the appropriate technical experts at the Ministry of
Finance. [Note: The Ministry of Finance (MOF) officials are unable
to meet with EconOff on this subject until their portfolios are
finalized following the October 4 election. End Note.]
Dermentzoglou will seek internal clarification from the MOF on the
Government of Greece's latest official position on Geographical
Indications and the Convention on Biological Diversity, and will
get back to EconOff as soon as possible. Doukas did not dispute
that expansion of market access for certain products was important,
and agreed that finding a concrete way to move forward in the Doha
Round would be to the benefit of all Member States. However, he
did note that Greece has a strong interest in the debate on
Geographical Indications which may not be in line with the U.S.
position. [Note: In separate discussions with others in the MFA in
preparation for an upcoming bilateral economic dialogue (the
US-Greek Economic and Commercial Cooperation Commission, or ECCC),
MFA representatives have asked for U.S. assistance in gaining
protection for Greek products such as Kalamata olives and Feta
cheese in the U.S. market. They have not linked this to ongoing
discussions within the Doha context, but have attempted to approach
it as a bilateral issue. End Note.]
Speckhard