TURKEY: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY DISCUSSES BIOTECH,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000160 SIPDIS COMMERCE FOR ITA/MAC DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USTR DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USDA FAS FOR OCRA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2020 TAGS: ETRD EFIN EINV ECON USTR TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: AMBASSADOR JEFFREY DISCUSSES BIOTECH, FSECC, AND IMF WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BABACAN REF: A. ANKARA 143 ¶B. 09 ANKARA 1740 ¶C. 09 ANKARA 1690 ¶D. 09 ANKARA 1503 ¶E. 09 ANKARA 1352 Classified By: Ambassador James Jeffrey for reasons 1.4 b, d ¶1. (C) Summary: Ambassador Jeffrey discussed the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation (FSECC) with Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Coordination Ali Babacan on January 28. He also raised concerns about the potential effect of a draft biotechnology law on US exports and about a new Health Ministry rule that restricts approval of new pharmaceuticals (reftel A). Babacan agreed that a FSECC meeting in Washington in late April would be good given his planned travel to Washington April 23-25. A GOT-private sector working group is developing a draft agenda focused on the needs of the business community. Babacan emphasized that he wants "solid outcomes" from the FSECC. On biotechnology, the Ambassador and Agricultural Counselor noted that draft legislation could ban USD 500 million in US exports. Babacan said biotech is a touchy political issue now, and that USG comments in the WTO would be important. On pharmaceutical approvals, Ambassador and Econ Counselor said the new approval process is based on reciprocal recognition of inspection certificates, which industry says Turkey could aspire to in five years. But the regulations take effect in March, leaving several years in which new drugs may not be able to be imported. Babacan defended the price restrictions the GOT imposed on the pharmaceutical sector (refs BD and E). Babacan noted the GOT is close to deciding on a new IMF Standby that would produce a "growth bump" this year. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Jeffrey called on Babacan on January 28, accompanied by Econ and Ag Counselors and Commercial Attache. The Ambassador said the FSECC had generated much interest in Washington and we hoped to host the first FSECC meeting in late April, around the time of Babacan's planned trip to Washington for the IMF/World Bank spring meetings. Babacan agreed that "that would be a good time" for the FSECC to meet. The Ambassador noted the USG's interest in reaching agreement soon on the Terms of Reference for the Business Council so the US side could complete our legal requirements for an advisory board. ¶3. (C) Babacan said the GOT also was gearing up for the FSECC. Babacan hosted a GOT-industry meeting last month, at which a joint GOT-industry working group was established to prepare a draft agenda, which Babacan promised to share with the Ambassador when it was completed. The working group's focus is on the priorities of the business community and a broadly defined effort to increase bilateral trade and investment. On the Business Council, Babacan has asked the major business associations to identify who would be the business participants. Babacan emphasized that the GOT wants "solid outcomes" from the FSECC. "We need continuous and close attention" to trade issues, because the problems never end. Getting the right people together would be key. The Ambassador said the USG was open to Turkey's proposals. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador told Babacan that the American Business Forum in Turkey (ABFT) will publish in February its annual survey of US businesses doing business in Turkey. The Ambassador said he would like to bring the ABFT board to see Babacan when the survey was published to present the results of the survey and use it as an input for discussion on how to expand trade and investment. Babacan said he "definitely" would meet with ABFT. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador noted that USD 500 million in agricultural exports to Turkey, much of it raw materials for Turkish livestock, could be blocked by the draft National Biosafety Law. Agricultural Counselor expressed satisfaction that the GOT had notified the draft law to the WTO, but noted the draft law includes a complete ban on cultivation of transgenic crops with stiff criminal penalties, and makes no allowance for science-based risk assessments. Although Agriculture Ministry officials claim the draft law is compatible with EU standards, the EU commission disagrees. Babacan said biotechnology has provoked a large public discussion in Turkey and the GOT has to be careful that "the noise doesn't come back on us," but GOT policy also has to be rational. For that reason, U.S. and other trading partner comments in the WTO will be very important. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador also noted continuing interest by US pharmaceutical companies in using Turkey as a base for regional manufacture and export to third countries. The US economic role in Turkey is much larger than bilateral trade data shows, the Ambassador argued, noting major investments by US companies like Ford that result in millions of dollars in exports to third countries. This helps both countries and there remains interest in building a pharmaecutical manufacturing hub in Turkey if the right policies are in place. He raised concern about the effects of a new Health Ministry decree that severely limits the approval process for new pharmaceutical drugs (ref A). ¶7. (C) Econ Counselor noted that a major goal of the regulation appeared to be to get reciprocal recognition of Turkish drug inspection certificates. Pharmaceutical companies would like to work with the Health Ministry to improve their inspection capabilites to get them up to international standards, but they estimate the process will take at least five years. The new rule takes effect March 1, when the Ministry will have only 11 inspectors to cover both domestic and over 100 international facilities. Babacan noted the concern. On a related matter, Babacan defended the GOT's imposition of a three-year pricing cap on pharmaceuticals, arguing that all other sectors had taken some cuts during the economic downturn, and the drug companies had to "pay their fair share." The Ambassador noted that "fair" was a political, not an economic term, and that pharmaceuticals require long term, expensive research and development. ¶8. (C) Babacan said the GOT is still actively talking with the IMF about a new agreement, and that once a few remaining details were resolved, "we can go forward" with a new agreement. A new Standby would give Turkey a "growth bump." A few months ago, Babacan would have said that a "credibility bump" was the GOT's priority, but now the focus is on growth. He noted the positive reaction to the GOT's proposed Fiscal Rule, and said Turkey was one of the first countries in the world to begin implementing a crisis exit strategy, noting the GOT ended its incentives in September and had raised taxes in both July 2009 and January 2010. He expressed concern about public debt levels and said the GOT is focused on reducing the GOT debt stock over time. Jeffrey "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"