Cablegate: Consultation Requested On 2005 Meat

VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMO #2740 2560519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120519Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 5366
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9950
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4651
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5198

UNCLAS MOSCOW 002740

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

USDA FAS FOR OCRA/CURTIS, FLEMINGS, KUYPERS;
- OSTA/HAMILTON, BEAN
PASS FSIS/HARRIES, DUTROW
PASS APHIS MITCHELL
STATE FOR EUR/RUS,
STATE PASS USTR FOR PORTER, HAFNER, KLEIN
BRUSSELS PASS APHIS/FERNANDEZ
VIENNA PASS APHIS/TANAKA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON WTO RS
SUBJECT: CONSULTATION REQUESTED ON 2005 MEAT
AGREEMENT

REF: A. HANSEN/USTR PORTER, FAS/FLEMINGS EMAIL
B. MOSCOW 2620
C. MOSCOW 2579

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In a letter from Economic
Development Minister Nabiullina to U.S. Trade
Representative Schwab that the embassy received
on September 11, the GOR proposes expert level
consultations on the Meat Agreement signed
between Russia and the United States in 2005 as
part of Russia's bid to join the WTO. The Meat
Agreement confirmed a special mechanism by which
the United States may export a set quantity of
pork, beef and poultry to Russia at a mutually
agreed tariff level through the end of 2009.
Russian officials have previously stated they
want to substantially lower the quota for U.S.
poultry in 2009 (Refs B, C), and raise over-quota
duties on pork and poultry. The original scanned
copy and courtesy translation were sent to USDA,
USTR and the State Department's Russia Desk on
September 11 (REF A). An informal embassy
translation of the letter follows. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT:
Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian
Federation

Moscow September 11, 2008
No. 12693-EN/D11

Ambassador S.C. Schwab
U.S. Trade Representative
Washington, D.C.

First, I would like to express my gratitude for
the attention you pay regarding Russia?s WTO
accession and to the development of our bilateral
economic and trade relations in general.

We intend to continue active collaboration in the
multilateral negotiations within the framework of
the working group for WTO accession, and we are
ready to make efforts to solve outstanding
problems through mutual agreement before the end
of this year.

In that regard, I would like to voice one
particular issue related to the bilateral
Russian-American Agreement on trade in certain
types of poultry, beef and pork, signed in
Washington on June 15, 2005.

Bearing in mind that this part of trade is of
high importance for both of our countries, we are
ready to discuss any issues of concern with our
partners.

We would like to propose that our specialists,
without any delay, conduct consultations on the
trade of meat products in the nearest future.

Sincerely,

Minister E. Nabiullina
END TEXT.
BEYRLE

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