Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS129
2009-01-29 13:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:
BELGIUM: GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS EU LINE AGAINST
how-toVZCZCXRO8074 PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHBS #0129 0291353 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 291353Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8524 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000129
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB JENNIFER PURL
STATE PASS USTR
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/EUR/OECA/WNE/JLEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS EU LINE AGAINST
UPDATED U.S. BEEF HORMONE SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 4100
UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000129
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB JENNIFER PURL
STATE PASS USTR
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/EUR/OECA/WNE/JLEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS EU LINE AGAINST
UPDATED U.S. BEEF HORMONE SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 4100
1. Econoff met January 28 with Jana Zikmundova, Minister
Counselor at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Director of Trade Policy and the World Trade Organization
(WTO),to discuss Belgium's response to the January 14
modification by the USG of the list of products subject to
retaliatory import duties in the WTO Beef Hormones case, and
to seek Belgian support for pressing the European Commission
to re-engage on a negotiated solution, per reftel points.
2. Zikmundova, who has been in her position since the fall
of 2008, said the Belgian Government (GOB) stands behind the
EU position (as expressed in the European Commission's
January 15 statement taken from the EC website) that the
recent U.S. action is illegal under the WTO. She added that
the U.S. retaliatory action had come as a surprise, was "very
unpleasant," and could have negative effects on Belgian
exports. Zikmundova hoped that the new administration would
reconsider its measures. Followed shortly as the beef
sanctions were by the January 16 announcement that the United
States was filing a case challenging EU restrictions on U.S.
poultry exports, the Belgians were in "double shock,"
Zikmundova said, and especially so given what she described
as positive meetings of the Transatlantic Economic Council
(TEC) in December 2008.
3. Zikmundova said EU Trade Commissioner Ashton was
scheduled to travel to Washington in the second half of
February to discuss this and other issues, with hopes that
the new USTR will have been confirmed and briefed by then.
.
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB JENNIFER PURL
STATE PASS USTR
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/EUR/OECA/WNE/JLEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD BE
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS EU LINE AGAINST
UPDATED U.S. BEEF HORMONE SANCTIONS
REF: STATE 4100
1. Econoff met January 28 with Jana Zikmundova, Minister
Counselor at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
Director of Trade Policy and the World Trade Organization
(WTO),to discuss Belgium's response to the January 14
modification by the USG of the list of products subject to
retaliatory import duties in the WTO Beef Hormones case, and
to seek Belgian support for pressing the European Commission
to re-engage on a negotiated solution, per reftel points.
2. Zikmundova, who has been in her position since the fall
of 2008, said the Belgian Government (GOB) stands behind the
EU position (as expressed in the European Commission's
January 15 statement taken from the EC website) that the
recent U.S. action is illegal under the WTO. She added that
the U.S. retaliatory action had come as a surprise, was "very
unpleasant," and could have negative effects on Belgian
exports. Zikmundova hoped that the new administration would
reconsider its measures. Followed shortly as the beef
sanctions were by the January 16 announcement that the United
States was filing a case challenging EU restrictions on U.S.
poultry exports, the Belgians were in "double shock,"
Zikmundova said, and especially so given what she described
as positive meetings of the Transatlantic Economic Council
(TEC) in December 2008.
3. Zikmundova said EU Trade Commissioner Ashton was
scheduled to travel to Washington in the second half of
February to discuss this and other issues, with hopes that
the new USTR will have been confirmed and briefed by then.
.