US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI299

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP 
DEPT PASS TO USTR - JASON BUNTIN 
GENEVA PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, WTO, USTR, TC 
SUBJECT: UAEG RESPONDS TO USTR ZOELLICK'S LETTER 
 
REFS: A) ABU DHABI 148 
 
      B) STATE 6662 
 
1.  POST RECEIVED FEBRUARY 3 A SIGNED LETTER FROM UAE 
MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND COMMERCE FAHIM AL-QASSIMI RESPONDING 
TO USTR ZOELLICK'S LETTER ON THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA 
(REF B).  THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE LETTER IS COPIED BELOW. 
 
2.  BEGIN TEXT. 
 
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY & COMMERCE 
MINISTER'S OFFICE 
 
REF.1/1/M/EC/187 
DATE: 28TH JANUARY 2004 
 
H.E. MR. ROBERT ZOELLICK 
U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE 
WASHINGTON, DC 
USA 
 
DEAR MR. ZOELLICK: 
 
I RECEIVED WITH APPRECIATION YOUR LETTER DATED JANUARY 11, 
2004 REGARDING YOUR IDEAS ON MULTILATERAL WTO NEGOTIATIONS 
UNDER THE DOHA DEVELOPMENT AGENDA, AND HOW WE MIGHT ADVANCE 
THEM TOGETHER. 
 
I WOULD LIKE TO INSURE YOU THAT WE ATTACH GREAT ATTENTION TO 
YOUR VIEWS AND HAVE THE PLEASURE TO SUMMARIZE OUR VIEWS 
REGARDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 
 
AGRICULTURE: 
 
WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE 
NEGOTIATIONS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT AN AMBITIOUS RESULT IN 
THIS FIELD IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS TO PROCEED AND 
SUCCEED.  I AGREE WITH YOUR IDEAS TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO 
ELIMINATE EXPORT SUBSIDIES IN A CERTAIN DATE. 
 
REGARDING THE REDUCTIONS IN DOMESTIC SUPPORT, I THINK WE 
SHOULD FOCUS ON THE MOST TRADE-DISTORTING SUPPORT TO HAVE 
SUBSTANTIAL CUTS AND CLEAR DISCIPLINE ON THIS SUPPORT. 
MOREOVER, I BELIEVE IT IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME WHERE WE SHOULD 
HAVE A FRAMEWORK AND AGREED MODALITIES AND METHODOLOGY FOR 
AGRICULTURE NEGOTIATIONS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE BASIC 
ELEMENTS, TOPICS, AND MEMBER COUNTRIES CONCERNS IF WE WANT 
TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS AND POSITIVE RESULTS. 
 
MARKET ACCESS FOR NAP: 
 
AS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE 
NEGOTIATIONS ON MARKET ACCESS FOR NON-AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS, 
WE NEED TO ACHIEVE A CONCRETE UNDERSTANDING IN THESE 
NEGOTIATIONS AS WELL AS AGRICULTURE.  AN AMBITIOUS FORMULA 
FOR ELIMINATION AND CUTTING OF HIGH TARIFFS AND TARIFFS 
ESCALATION ON NON-AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS INCLUDING SUFFICIENT 
FLEXIBILITY ARE WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. 
 
WE WISH TO EXPLORE ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE AHEAD BASED ON 
DDA, AND TAKE FULLY INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND 
INTERESTS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
 
SERVICES: 
 
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE SERVICES SECTOR IS INCREASINGLY 
ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IN OUR ECONOMIES, I 
AGREE WITH YOUR SUGGESTION THAT VARIOUS COUNTRIES AND WTO 
PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL BENEFITS, 
AND TO PREPARE OFFERS AND REQUESTS TO HELP DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN TRADE IN 
SERVICES. 
 
SINGAPORE ISSUES: 
 
I FEEL THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS BY AGREEING TO 
START NEGOTIATIONS ON SOME OF SINGAPORE ISSUES, WHERE WE CAN 
REACH A CONSENSUS, SUCH AS TRADE FACILITATION AND 
TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT, WHICH WILL HELP OUR 
COUNTRIES TO IMPROVE RELATED LAWS AND REGULATIONS, AND TO 
TARGET A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. 
 
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ARE WITH THE VIEW THAT MORE TIME IS 
NEEDED TO STUDY OTHER ISSUES, SUCH AS INVESTMENT AND 
COMPETITION. 
 
I HOPE OUR EFFORTS IN SHARING IDEAS AND VIEWS WILL HELP US 
RESOLVE CRITICAL ISSUES AND MAKE 2004 A YEAR OF 
ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE DOHA AGENDA AND THE WTO. 
 
PLEASE ACCEPT ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST REGARDS. 
 
/SIGNED/ 
FAHIM BIN SULTAN AL-QASSIMI 
MINISTER OF ECONOMY & COMMERCE 
END TEXT. 
WAHBA