US embassy cable - 05LILONGWE905

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MALAWI ON WTO AND GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

Identifier: 05LILONGWE905
Wikileaks: View 05LILONGWE905 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Lilongwe
Created: 2005-10-13 14:51:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: KIPR EAGR ETRD Agriculture
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000905 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AGRICULTURE 
STATE FOR AF/S MELINDA TABLER-STONE 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/ABT/ATP J SHANNON 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/IPE S WILSON 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR, USPTO AND USDA 
USTR FOR D MULLANEY 
USPTO FOR D LASHLEY-JOHNSON 
USDA FOR J HURST 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR, EAGR, ETRD, Agriculture/Food Security 
SUBJECT: MALAWI ON WTO AND GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 177074 
 
1. (SBU) Embassy delivered reftel points to trade ministry 
principal secretary Newby Kumwembe on 3 October, with follow 
up on 11 October.  As is usual in Malawi's multilateral trade 
discussions, Kumwembwe anticipated that Malawi would follow 
the consensus of least-developed countries in the WTO 
negotiations.  Kumwembe indicated that he agreed somewhat 
with the USG position, but that geographical indications 
(GIs) appear to be relevant to categories of goods beyond the 
purview of intellectual property.  Given Malawi's general 
sensitivity to European concerns in its approach to trade 
policy, Embassy believes Malawi will be sympathetic to the EU 
position. 
 
2. (U) EconOff has discussed the GI issue with several 
exporters who could conceivably influence the GOM's position. 
 The USG argument that GIs are best dealt with in the context 
of intellectual property discussions receives a sympathetic 
hearing in Malawi, but there is a sense that local 
agricultural products may somehow come out ahead under the EU 
scheme.  (Note: Malawi hopes to brand its tea and Mzuzu 
coffee, possibly even its sugar, at some point in the future. 
 End note.)  Embassy has not received the video mentioned in 
reftel (and requested by post) and has not been able to 
organize meetings around the video. 
 
EASTHAM 

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