US embassy cable - 05MASERU531

UNCLAS MASERU 000531 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, ECON, KIPR, LT, WTRO 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHES ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (GI'S) AND U.S. WTO 
PROPOSAL ON AGRICULTURE 
 
REF: A) STATE 190748   B) STATE 180474 
 
1. On October 19, DCM met separately with David Rantekoa, 
Principal Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Mohale 
Sekoto, Deputy Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and 
Food Security (the highest level ministry official available) to 
present and discuss the talking points in refs.   Also attending 
the second meeting was Khang Cekwane, Director of Marketing, 
Ministry of Trade and Industry.  In addition, the Ambassador 
raised these issues with Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Ponts'o Sekatle on October 18. 
 
2. GI'S:  Rantekoa was receptive to the USG position regarding 
GI's, noting, in particular, the considerable administrative 
burdens that could result from EU-proposed special treatment of 
such names.   A final GOL position, however, would have to await 
the results of an in-house Ministry review (in progress) and 
consultations with the Attorney General's Office, which covers 
intellectual property issues.  The PS added that the EU (which 
has a mission in Maseru) had not approached him on this matter. 
  Sekoto voiced general support for USG views, stressing that 
discussion of GI's should remain exclusively in the TRIPS 
Council. 
 
3.  U.S. WTO AGRICULTURE PROPOSAL: Rantekoa and Sekoto (and 
Cekwane) expressed appreciation for the USG initiative to spur 
progress in the Doha Round; the proposal on agriculture was very 
"positive" (Sekoto). All also agreed that agriculture is the key 
to success in Doha.   Rantekoa noted that the GOL views 
agricultural issues as important for Lesotho in the long-term; 
as a Least Developed Country, Lesotho is currently not affected 
by many of the subsidies and other trade-distorting measures. 
As the country develops economically, such matters would have 
increasing impact.   The PS said the EU should respond 
constructively to the USG proposal; he promised to discuss this 
with Minister Malie.  Sekoto noted that the U.S. and EU must 
come to an agreement in order for there to be any progress on 
agriculture.   LDC's, however, should be allowed to keep their 
special status or benefits in whatever final agreement is 
reached.  The DPS and Cekwane noted that their respective 
ministries would be studying the U.S. proposal intensively to 
come up with a government position. 
 
4. Both WTO issues were raised during the Ambassador's meeting 
with Acting MFA Sekatle.  Sekatle agreed that developing 
countries would benefit from the U.S. proposal in agriculture. 
As Minister of Local Government, Sekatle is especially aware 
that potential agricultural exports from LDC's suffer from 
barriers such as those desired by the EU. 
 
 
 
PERRY