US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1567

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC 
NEA/ARPI 
USTR FOR JBUNTIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2015 
TAGS: EAGR, ETRD, BA, WTRO 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN: URGING EU TO TABLE MEANINGFUL AGRICULTURE 
MARKET ACCESS PROPOSAL 
 
REF: A. STATE 195286 
 
     B. STATE 190748 
 
Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (SBU) Econoff October 25 delivered Ref A demarche 
requesting Bahrain to urge the EU to table a meaningful WTO 
agriculture market access proposal to MFA Director for 
International Organization Affairs Ghassan Shaikho.  Shaikho 
said he was in consultations with his colleagues in the 
Ministry of Industry and Commerce regarding Bahrain's 
position.  He said the U.S. conditional offer announced 
October 10 (Ref B) marked significant progress.  He 
characterized the U.S. position as "middle of the road" 
compared to the "ultra-right" EU position. 
 
2. (SBU) However, Shaikho said the U.S.-proposed tariff 
structure would still "squeeze developing countries."  "We're 
looking forward to supporting a harmonizing of positions in 
order to help developing countries in general and Bahrain in 
particular," he added.  The issue involved political as well 
as economic considerations and a successful resolution to the 
current impasse would enhance the prosperity of developing 
countries, thereby alleviating a root cause of terrorism. 
 
3. (C) Shaikho said that Bahrain would have to maintain 
allegiance with other developing countries, but would seek to 
support the U.S. discreetly.  He observed that because 
agriculture is a relatively minor sector of Bahrain's 
economy, the tariffs issue was not of central importance.  He 
noted, however, that the GOB was in the process of 
identifying its priority areas in the WTO negotiations, and 
would share this information with the Embassy soon. 
 
 
MONROE