Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Search

 

Cablegate: Ukraine's Wto Negotiator Requests Consultations In

VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKV #4216 3121000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081000Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0317
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0006

UNCLAS KYIV 004216

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

GENEVA FOR USTR
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR KLEIN/MOLNAR/SYDOW
USDOC FOR 4201/DOC/ITA/MAC/BISNIS
USDOC FOR 4231/ITA/OEENIS/NISD/CLUCYCK
STATE FOR EUR/UMB, EB/TPP/BTA, AND EB/TPP/MTA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD WTRO UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE'S WTO NEGOTIATOR REQUESTS CONSULTATIONS IN
WASHINGTON

REFS: A) YARNELL-KLEIN EMAIL OF 11/7

B) KYIV 4183
C) MOLNAR-TSYMBAL EMAIL OF 10/22
D) KYIV 3670

1. (U) This message contains a request for guidance.
Please see para 3.

2. (SBU) Econ Counselor met on November 7 with Valeriy
Pyatnytskiy, Deputy Minister of Economy and Ukraine's lead
WTO negotiator. Pyatnytskiy briefed on recent progress
with outstanding WTO-related legislation (ref B) and said
that his team was intent on pushing ahead as quickly as
possible to capitalize on the building momentum in
Parliament. Pyatnytskiy recognized that some tweaks in the
draft legislation were necessary, however, and emphasized
that he wanted to ensure all the drafts were completely
WTO-compliant before they go for a final vote in
Parliament.

3. (SBU) As reported by ref A, Pyatnytskiy is requesting
assistance in setting up consultations with USTR officials
next week in Washington. Pyatnytskiy explained he was
seeking Washington's input on the outstanding legislation
and wanted to better understand where key WTO partners
might have some "flexibility" regarding draft text.
Referring to the USTR comments, he stated that in many
cases the issues raised by USTR were either
misunderstandings of the legislation or had been resolved
in subsequent GOU drafts. He felt a face-to-face
discussion could resolve many of these issues. (Note:
Pyatnytskiy is requesting a similar meeting in Brussels and
plans to be in Brussels November 13. End note.)
Pyatnytskiy promised to provide in advance of the proposed
meeting a response to USTR's recent comments on draft
legislation (ref C), as well as texts of drafts passed by
Parliament in the first reading. Pyatnytskiy also said he
would be willing to discuss agricultural issues with
Washington officials, and that he was working hard to solve
the outstanding issue of meat certificates. He stated the
Ministry of Economy had drafted a letter to resolve the
meat certificate issue; the letter was now with the Foreign
Affairs and Agrarian Policy Ministries for clearance. Post
requests Washington agencies' guidance on responding to
Pyatnytskiy's request about the possibility of arranging
such consultations for Pyatnytskiy and 2-3 members of his
staff.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

4. (SBU) Regarding legislation, Pyatnytskiy said that he
expected Parliament next week to pass an additional 5-6
outstanding laws in the final reading, and a similar number
in the first reading. He claimed there is no daylight
between the Cabinet of Ministers and Presidential
Administration on moving the laws forward, and in terms of
substance of the draft laws relating to WTO. In many
cases, the Presidential and Cabinet of Ministers drafts
were identical. However, in some cases the Cabinet
clearance process resulted in ministries adding their own
wish-list provisions to government-sponsored drafts. In
most cases, said Pyatnytskiy, these extra provisions did
not have WTO implications, but they might complicate the
ratification process. The versions submitted by the
President, on the other hand, were limited to just those
legislative changes considered necessary for WTO purposes.

TAYLOR

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
UN News: Aid Access Is Key Priority

Among the key issues facing diplomats is securing the release of a reported 199 Israeli hostages, seized during the Hamas raid. “History is watching,” says Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. “This war was started by taking those hostages. Of course, there's a history between Palestinian people and the Israeli people, and I'm not denying any of that. But that act alone lit a fire, which can only be put out with the release of those hostages.” More


Save The Children: Four Earthquakes In a Week Leave Thousands Homeless

Families in western Afghanistan are reeling after a fourth earthquake hit Herat Province, crumbling buildings and forcing people to flee once again, with thousands now living in tents exposed to fierce winds and dust storms. The latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 km outside of Herat on Sunday, shattering communities still reeling from strong and shallow aftershocks. More

UN News: Nowhere To Go In Gaza

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said some 1.1M people would be expected to leave northern Gaza and that such a movement would be “impossible” without devastating humanitarian consequences and appeals for the order to be rescinded. The WHO joined the call for Israel to rescind the relocation order, which amounted to a “death sentence” for many. More


Access Now: Telecom Blackout In Gaza An Attack On Human Rights

By October 10, reports indicated that fixed-line internet, mobile data, SMS, telephone, and TV networks are all seriously compromised. With significant and increasing damage to the electrical grid, orders by the Israeli Ministry of Energy to stop supplying electricity and the last remaining power station now out of fuel, many are no longer able to charge devices that are essential to communicate and access information. More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.