US embassy cable - 05PARIS1054

UNCLAS PARIS 001054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EB/TPP, EUR/ERA, AND EUR/WE 
COMMERCE FOR ALDONAS, NAAS 
STATE PASS USTR MURPHY, NOVELLI 
GENEVA FOR AGRICULTURE, USTR 
USDA/OS/JOHANNS/PENN 
USDA/FAS/TERPSTRA/ 
ITP/SHEIKH/MACKIE/YOUNG 
FAA/BLEGGI 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, TBIO, FR 
SUBJECT: FRANCE: NEW AGRICULTURE MINISTER HIGHLIGHTS WTO, 
WINE, BIOTECH PLANS TO VISIT U.S. 
 
 
1. This is an action request.  See Para 6. 
 
2.(U) Summery: France's new Agriculture Minister Dominique 
Bussereau told Ambassador he would welcome a visit to 
France by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. 
During a call by Ambassador Feb 17, Bussereau said he hoped 
to visit the United States in late spring, and meet 
Congressional leaders from agricultural states.  Bussereau, 
a former parliamentarian from the Cognac region, noted that 
the bilateral dialogue on sanitary issues had "improved 
considerably", and thanked the Ambassador for his role in 
resolving the foie gras dispute.  On other issues, 
Bussereau told Ambassador he had an open mind on biotech 
foods, expressed his hope that the U.S. and the EU could 
conclude the Wine agreement and the Doha round, and that 
France and U.S. could pursue areas of common interest such 
as biofuels. End Summary. 
 
3. (U)  Ambassador called on the new French Agriculture 
Minister Dominique Bussereau Feb 17.  He was accompanied by 
Embassy's Agriculture MinCouns and EmbOffs.  Bussereau said 
he was interested in visiting the U.S. some time in May or 
June, following the referendum on the European 
constitution.  He said he was interested in meeting 
Secretary Johanns, but also in pursing two issues that 
 
SIPDIS 
France had a lot to learn from the U.S., biofuels and crop 
insurance. Bussereau, who does not speak English, said he 
had visited the U.S. as a participant in the International 
Visitors program over 15 years ago. Bussereau also 
expressed interest in inviting the U.S. Congressional 
leadership from agricultural states to France to meet with 
their French counterparts in the National Assembly. 
 
COMPLETING DOHA AND WINE AGREEMENT 
---------------------------------- 
4. Bussereau said France's top priority was a successful 
conclusion of the Doha trade round. He noted that the EU 
had made considerable concessions already in the context of 
its CAP reforms, and that it was looking to the U.S. for 
"parallelism", i.e. cutting food aid and export credits. 
Ambassador told him that President Bush was strongly 
committed to completing the Doha Round and to making 
serious cuts in agriculture.  Bussereau also said he hoped 
that the U.S. and EU would come to closure on the Wine 
Agreement. 
 
5. Bussereau said he hoped to see progress on bananas and 
biotech foods.  On Biotech, he admitted that European 
consumer response was often "irrational", but said that 
France was for a "balanced" approach that took into account 
the need for research to continue, but to deal with 
consumer concerns as well.  He told Ambassador he had an 
"open mind" on the subject. 
 
DIALOGUE ON SANITARY ISSUES 
--------------------------- 
 
6.  Bussereau said he believed that France's dialogue with 
the U.S. on sanitary issues was "considerably improved" 
since last year. He thanked the Ambassador for his efforts 
in resolving the difficulties over French foie gras 
exports.  The U.S. and the EU should have confidence in 
each other's sanitary systems, and avoid the kind of mutual 
suspicion that seemed to characterize the foie gras 
dispute. 
 
ACTION REQUEST 
-------------- 
 
7. ACTION REQUEST: Bussereau extended an invitation to 
Secretary Johanns to visit France and confirmed a 
 
SIPDIS 
previously communicated intention to visit the US in May or 
June.  Post would appreciate USDA guidance on Minister's 
invitation to Secretary and travel intentions for May or 
June. 
LEACH