US embassy cable - 05PRAGUE1284

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Identifier:	05PRAGUE1284
Wikileaks:	View 05PRAGUE1284 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Prague
Created:	2005-09-02 14:17:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	EAID EAGR EZ WTRO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS PRAGUE 001284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR JANET SHANNON, USAID PASS TO DALE SKORIC, 
AGRICULTURE PASS TO FAS/ELIZABETH AUTRY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, EZ, WTRO 
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: TOEING THE EU LINE ON FOOD AID 
 
REF: STATE 155973 
 
1. (U) EconOff delivered reftel demarche to the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Agriculture, which has 
the lead on this issue, stated that the GOCR supports the EU 
position on this matter and that further discussion within 
the GOCR will be put on hold until after the Hong Kong 
ministerial in December. 
 
2. (U) Agriculture's Secretary of the National FAO Committee 
Jiri Muchka said that the Czech Republic does not have a 
separate opinion from the EU on the issue; The EU prefers 
that the World Food Program be the responsible body for 
future monitoring and analysis of food aid, not the CSSD, a 
position determined during special Food Aid Committee 
meetings in  Brussels at the beginning of this year.  Muchka 
noted that one of the considerations in supporting the EU 
position on this issue is his belief that the Czech Republic 
is unrepresented at the CSSD in Washington.  Both Ministries 
of Agriculture and Trade made it clear that the Food Aid 
Convention will form the basis of further discussion on this 
issue.  They believe that the WTO is the appropriate forum 
for a discussion of food aid, at least as to how it will 
affect the overall agriculture market. 
CABANISS