LETTER RECEIVED FROM MINISTER OF TRADE FOR USTR KIRK

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000143 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EEB/TPP/BTA DEPT PASS TO USTR BWEISEL AND KEHLERS COMMERCE FOR 4430/NADJMI AND SBERLINGUETTE USDA/FAS/OSTA FOR CASEY BEAN E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD BEXP EINV ID SUBJECT: LETTER RECEIVED FROM MINISTER OF TRADE FOR USTR KIRK ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On January 28, 2010, Embassy received official correspondence from Government of Indonesia (GOI) Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu, dated January 26, addressed to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Ron Kirk. The letter is in response to the USTR letter of November 6, 2009 and provides updated information on the status of Minister of Health's Decree 1010 and regulation of halal products. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Begin text: Minister of Trade of The Republic of Indonesia Jakarta, January 26, 2010 Our Ref. 130/M-DAG/SD/1/2010 His Excellency Ambassador Ron Kirk United States Trade Representative 600 17th Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20508 United States of America Dear Ambassador Kirk: First of all I wish you a belated Happy New Year 2010, may our bilateral relation continue to prosper this year and the years to come. I must apologize for not replying sooner to your letter of November 6, 2009, which was due to the need to reconfirm issues raised in your letter to the concerned Ministries. As for the Minister of Health's Regulation Number 1010 on Registration of Medicines, I would like to inform you that according to the Ministry of Health no proposal has so far been put forward by foreign companies on the changes of existing regulations. Concerning Decree Number 245, the Ministry of Health is planning to revise the Decree, especially the technical aspects, to adapt with associated rules and regulations. Stakeholders will be given the opportunity to provide inputs, and as such, this opportunity may be taken to raise the proposal on the quality assurance standards. On the regulation concerning halal products, I am pleased to note that your Administration acknowledges the right of Indonesia to regulate trade in halal products. I wish to reassure you that we uphold the importance of being transparent in order to minimize unwanted disruptions in trade. In this respect, the BPOM/NA-DFC (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan/the National Agency of Drug and Food Control) on several occasions has conducted dissemination of information programs, attended by various stakeholders and partner countries, including IPMG (International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group). I understand that a review of the regulation is being undertaken with the aim of clarifying its substance and purpose to include considerations related to facilitating registration requirements. I must add that this regulation is non-discriminatory; it applies to domestic as well as foreign products. Indonesia will notify all WTO members, once the revision of the regulation is finalized. Last but not least I would like to emphasize that I do share your commitment to expand investment and trade between our two countries. Thank you for your kind attention. Yours sincerely, Mari Elka Pangestu END TEXT HUME