Cablegate: U.S. Wto Ag Proposals: Egyptian Response

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS CAIRO 008033

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

NEA FOR FO, ELA, RA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EG WTRO
SUBJECT: U.S. WTO AG PROPOSALS: EGYPTIAN RESPONSE

REF: STATE 190748

The following is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5.

2. (U) Econoff delivered reftel demarche on October 17 to Dr.
Samiha Fawzy, First Assistant to the Minister of Foreign
Trade and Industry. Dr. Fawzy was well aware of the U.S.
reform proposals and said she would review the demarche
points and USTR Fact Sheets (which she already had in her
possession) with the Minister. FAS Counselor also delivered
points to the Ministry of Agriculture.

3. (SBU) In a subsequent meeting (septel), the Ambassador
raised the issue with Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry
Rashid Rashid who said that Egypt has pressed the Europeans
to meet the U.S. proposal and would keep pushing them.
Rashid said Egypt has been very clear about its desire for
more market access, and that "Ambassador Portman made a big
step" with the U.S. proposal.

4. (SBU) Fawzy mentioned that Egypt, as coordinator of the
African Group, was planning on convening a
"micro-ministerial" meeting in Cairo on October 26-27, and
said they needed the "numbers, co-efficients, formulas, etc."
to be able to show the impacts of the proposals on Africa.
She also said that MFTI was conducting a series of workshops
for journalists on WTO-related trade issues to better prepare
them to cover the negotiations.

5. (SBU) Action Request: Post requests USTR and USDA
assistance in meeting MFTI request for data regarding the
U.S. proposal's ramifications for African markets.

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