US embassy cable - 05CAIRO9179

UNCLAS CAIRO 009179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
PASS USTR FOR SAUMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, KIPR, ECON, EG, WTO 
SUBJECT: HONG KONG MINISTERIAL: EGYPTIAN COMMENTS ON 
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY CONVENTION AND AFRICAN WTO ISSUES 
 
REF: A. STATE 218115 
     B. STATE 211956 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1.  (SBU) Post delivered ref A points on TRIPS and the 
Convention on Biological Diversity to Dr. Samiha Fawzy, First 
Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry, and 
separately to Walid El Nozahy, Head of the Ministry's WTO 
Office (who had no formal response).  During the meeting, 
Fawzy contacted Egypt's WTO Mission in Geneva to ask about 
the issue.  She specifically asked about the reftel point 
that Peter Mandelson may have indicated the EU's willingness 
during the November 30 G90 meeting to begin negotiations on 
biodiversity.  Her counterpart in Geneva claimed that 
Mandelson had not made such a statement.  Nonetheless, Fawzy 
promised to discuss the issue with her colleagues and provide 
a response to us on Egypt's position should the EU raise it 
at the Hong Kong Ministerial. 
 
2.  (SBU) Post also delivered ref B points on the USG's 
general approach to the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting; Fawzy 
was familiar with our goals for Hong Kong because of her 
participation in Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry 
Rachid's trade discussions last week in Washington.  Fawzy 
(who will be traveling to Hong Kong) reviewed reftel points 
and said that the GOE understood the USG desire to keep 
ambitions high, but be realistic about the outcome of the 
Hong Kong round.  She stated that Egypt, as current head of 
the African Union, is heavily involved in the Doha Round 
issues of importance to Africa.  Fawzy shared with trade 
officer three papers on Africa's position related to the Doha 
round.  These papers have been sent to NEA/ELA Desiree Baron, 
EB/TPP/BTT/ANA Mikael Lurie, and USTR Ned Saums. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE