(C/NF) ECUADOR'S IMPORT RESTRICTIONS

S E C R E T STATE 092995 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2034 TAGS: PINR ECON ETRD CO EC SUBJECT: (C/NF) ECUADOR'S IMPORT RESTRICTIONS (C-AL9-01768) Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (S/NF) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS INTEND TO WRITE AN ASSESSMENT ADDRESSING THE COLOMBIA-ECUADOR DISPUTE OVER ECUADOR'S NEW TARIFFS ON COLOMBIAN GOODS. AS EMBASSY IS AWARE, THE COMMUNITY OF ANDEAN NATIONS (CAN) SECRETARIAT APPROVED ECUADOR'S TARIFFS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, AND IN PRESS IT APPEARS THAT BOGOTA IS REJECTING THIS DECISION. AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE REPORTING RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. MANY THANKS. ¶A. (U) FOR QUITO: 1) (C/NF) WAS QUITO'S DECISION TO IMPOSE TARIFFS AGAINST COLOMBIAN GOODS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED? IF SO, WHAT DID THE ECUADORIAN GOVERNMENT HOPE TO GAIN? 2) (C/NF) DOES QUITO BELIEVE THE RESTRICTIONS WILL IMPROVE ECUADOR'S BALANCE OF PAYMENTS? BY HOW MUCH? HOW LONG DOES QUITO PLAN TO IMPOSE THESE TARIFFS.? ¶B. (U) FOR BOGOTA: 1) (C/NF) WHAT ARGUMENTS DOES BOGOTA MAKE IN OPPOSING THE TARIFFS? 2) (C/NF) WHAT DOES BOGOTA PLAN TO DO IF DIALOGUE WITH QUITO DOES NOT PAN OUT? WOULD BOGOTA APPEAL TO AN INTERNATIONAL BODY OR THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION? 3) (C/NF) WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF THE CAN DECISION? WHAT PART(S) OF THE RULING DOES BOGOTA DISPUTE? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL9-01768 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON