Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09GENEVA898
2009-10-21 10:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Mission Geneva
Cable title:
ISRAEL ON PA BID FOR WTO OBSERVER STATUS
how-toVZCZCXRO5610 RR RUEHIK DE RUEHGV #0898 2941035 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 211035Z OCT 09 FM USMISSION GENEVA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9730 INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 4644 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0902 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6913 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 5737 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 6546 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 8536 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 2048 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 1246 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0728 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2014 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 1075 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1823 RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS GENEVA 000898
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS USTR
TEL AVIV FOR AMB, DCM, AND ECON
USTR FOR CKLEIN, AVENKATARAMAN,SFRANCESKI, MMOWREY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD WTRO ECON PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL ON PA BID FOR WTO OBSERVER STATUS
Reftels: (a) Jerusalem 1607 (B) Secstate 99831 (c) Geneva00783
(d) Tel Aviv 02166 (e) Geneva 00839
UNCLAS GENEVA 000898
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS USTR
TEL AVIV FOR AMB, DCM, AND ECON
USTR FOR CKLEIN, AVENKATARAMAN,SFRANCESKI, MMOWREY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD WTRO ECON PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL ON PA BID FOR WTO OBSERVER STATUS
Reftels: (a) Jerusalem 1607 (B) Secstate 99831 (c) Geneva00783
(d) Tel Aviv 02166 (e) Geneva 00839
1.(SBU) The Israeli's local Trade Ministry rep approached the Charge
today to ask our understanding of what the trade off might be
between granting the PA observer status at the WTO Ministerial and
the PA not pressing on GC observer status. In particular, he wanted
to know whether we thought this could be used to make the issue go
away for an extended time or whether we were thinking the best we
could do would be to make it go away for the November 17 General
Council meeting. He said that the issue has risen to the cabinet
level and that some felt that buying peace for the November meeting
was not enough. Charge promised to check with Washington on what
they thought was possible.
2. (SBU) We only have a short time to bring this issue to closure.
The agenda for the November General Council closes COB November 5 so
by that time a decision will have to be taken on whether to place
General Council Observer status, Ministerial Conference Observer
status or neither on the agenda. According to our Israeli
colleague, GC Chair Matus plans to call a meeting on Friday to kick
off consultations, though we have not heard from Matus yet. Things
could get heated quickly.
3. (SBU) Please advise what we can tell the Israelis here as to our
expectations.
SHARK
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS USTR
TEL AVIV FOR AMB, DCM, AND ECON
USTR FOR CKLEIN, AVENKATARAMAN,SFRANCESKI, MMOWREY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD WTRO ECON PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: ISRAEL ON PA BID FOR WTO OBSERVER STATUS
Reftels: (a) Jerusalem 1607 (B) Secstate 99831 (c) Geneva00783
(d) Tel Aviv 02166 (e) Geneva 00839
1.(SBU) The Israeli's local Trade Ministry rep approached the Charge
today to ask our understanding of what the trade off might be
between granting the PA observer status at the WTO Ministerial and
the PA not pressing on GC observer status. In particular, he wanted
to know whether we thought this could be used to make the issue go
away for an extended time or whether we were thinking the best we
could do would be to make it go away for the November 17 General
Council meeting. He said that the issue has risen to the cabinet
level and that some felt that buying peace for the November meeting
was not enough. Charge promised to check with Washington on what
they thought was possible.
2. (SBU) We only have a short time to bring this issue to closure.
The agenda for the November General Council closes COB November 5 so
by that time a decision will have to be taken on whether to place
General Council Observer status, Ministerial Conference Observer
status or neither on the agenda. According to our Israeli
colleague, GC Chair Matus plans to call a meeting on Friday to kick
off consultations, though we have not heard from Matus yet. Things
could get heated quickly.
3. (SBU) Please advise what we can tell the Israelis here as to our
expectations.
SHARK