Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09JAKARTA183
2009-02-05 00:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Jakarta
Cable title:
LETTER FROM TRADE MINISTER PANGESTU TO ACTING U.S. TRADE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHJA #0183 0360015 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 050015Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1380 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS JAKARTA 000183
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT PASS TO USTR ALLGEIER
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EB/TPP/BTA
USTR FOR KELHERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP EINV ETRD ECON ID
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM TRADE MINISTER PANGESTU TO ACTING U.S. TRADE
REPRESENTATIVE
UNCLAS JAKARTA 000183
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT PASS TO USTR ALLGEIER
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EB/TPP/BTA
USTR FOR KELHERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP EINV ETRD ECON ID
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM TRADE MINISTER PANGESTU TO ACTING U.S. TRADE
REPRESENTATIVE
1. SUMMARY: U.S. Embassy Jakarta received official correspondence
from Government of Indonesia (GOI) Minister of Trade Mari Pangestu
addressed to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Peter
Allgeier. The letter, dated January 29th, 2009, details GOI
objections to draft tobacco control legislation under consideration
by the U.S. Congress. Pangestu argues that the legislation, if
enacted, would constitute a violation of World Trade Organization
(WTO) agreements. The full text of the letter is included below.
End Summary.
2. Begin text:
Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia
No.93 IM-DAG/1/2009
Jakarta, 29 January, 2009
His Excellency
Mr. Peter Allgeier
Acting United States Trade Representative
600 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20508
Dear Ambassador Allgeier:
I am writing once again to bring to your attention a matter of great
importance to my country regarding The Family Smoking Prevention and
Tobacco Control Act, which we understand Chairman Kennedy and
Chairman Waxman are in the process of reintroducing.
The Indonesian government has repeatedly communicated our strong
concerns that Sec. 907 of the Act is inconsistent with the general
principle of the WTO on nondiscrimination as well as the WTO
Agreement on the Technical Barriers to Trade.
We continue to hope that, as this legislation moves, the Section 907
will be modified to eliminate the discriminatory treatment of clove
cigarettes. In this regard, the Government of Indonesia seeks a
modification to the bill prior to its introduction that would give
equal treatment to clove cigarettes and menthol cigarettes.
Chairman Kennedy's mark of the bill in 2007 included appropriate
language treating clove and menthol cigarettes with parity. I would
like to request your assistance in encouraging Chairman Kennedy and
Chairman Waxman to include similar language in the bill when it is
reintroduced in the 111th Congress so that Indonesia does not have
to take action in the WTO.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Yours sincerely,
Singed
Mari Elka Pangestu
End text.
HUME
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT PASS TO USTR ALLGEIER
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EB/TPP/BTA
USTR FOR KELHERS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP EINV ETRD ECON ID
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM TRADE MINISTER PANGESTU TO ACTING U.S. TRADE
REPRESENTATIVE
1. SUMMARY: U.S. Embassy Jakarta received official correspondence
from Government of Indonesia (GOI) Minister of Trade Mari Pangestu
addressed to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Peter
Allgeier. The letter, dated January 29th, 2009, details GOI
objections to draft tobacco control legislation under consideration
by the U.S. Congress. Pangestu argues that the legislation, if
enacted, would constitute a violation of World Trade Organization
(WTO) agreements. The full text of the letter is included below.
End Summary.
2. Begin text:
Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia
No.93 IM-DAG/1/2009
Jakarta, 29 January, 2009
His Excellency
Mr. Peter Allgeier
Acting United States Trade Representative
600 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20508
Dear Ambassador Allgeier:
I am writing once again to bring to your attention a matter of great
importance to my country regarding The Family Smoking Prevention and
Tobacco Control Act, which we understand Chairman Kennedy and
Chairman Waxman are in the process of reintroducing.
The Indonesian government has repeatedly communicated our strong
concerns that Sec. 907 of the Act is inconsistent with the general
principle of the WTO on nondiscrimination as well as the WTO
Agreement on the Technical Barriers to Trade.
We continue to hope that, as this legislation moves, the Section 907
will be modified to eliminate the discriminatory treatment of clove
cigarettes. In this regard, the Government of Indonesia seeks a
modification to the bill prior to its introduction that would give
equal treatment to clove cigarettes and menthol cigarettes.
Chairman Kennedy's mark of the bill in 2007 included appropriate
language treating clove and menthol cigarettes with parity. I would
like to request your assistance in encouraging Chairman Kennedy and
Chairman Waxman to include similar language in the bill when it is
reintroduced in the 111th Congress so that Indonesia does not have
to take action in the WTO.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Yours sincerely,
Singed
Mari Elka Pangestu
End text.
HUME