US embassy cable - 05SANJOSE2826

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 002826 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
WHA/CEN 
EB FOR WCRAFT, BLAMPRON 
E FOR DEDWARDS 
WHA/EPSC FOR KURS, LGUMBINER 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR AMALITO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, ECIN, PREL, CS 
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA,S FORMER CAFTA LEAD NEGOTIATOR ANABEL 
GONZALEZ TO HEAD WTO,S AGRICULTURE AND COMMODITIES DIVISION 
 
REF: 2004 SAN JOSE 02402 
 
1.  (SBU) Anabel Gonzalez, who was Costa Rica,s lead 
negotiator for the Dominican Republic-Central American Free 
Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) until her resignation in September 
2004 reftel has accepted WTO Director General Lamy,s offer 
to head the WTO,s Agriculture and Commodities Division. 
Lamy made the offer last week and Ms. Gonzalez formerly 
accepted today.  She called Econoff to pass on the news and 
we expect it will become publicly known in the next few days. 
 
2.  (SBU)  Even though Ms. Gonzalez left government more than 
a year ago, she has remained very active working behind the 
scenes in Costa Rica to advance CAFTA-DR.  In addition, she 
has helped the Nicaraguan government with its CAFTA-DR 
ratification efforts, and advised the Panamian government on 
its FTA negotiations.  She has served as an advisor to 
leading presidential candidate Oscar Arias on trade matters 
and accompanied him to Washington in early June to lobby for 
U.S. ratification of CAFTA-DR. 
 
3.  (SBU) Gonzalez told econoff that she had a long interview 
with DG Lamy about 10 days ago and that she was very candid 
on what she thought needed to happen to make the Doha Round 
successful.  She said that Lamy did not share his thoughts 
but Ms. Gonzalez joked that &evidently he liked enough of 
what he heard to hire me.8  Econoff offered to arrange 
meetings in Washington with appropriate USG officials if Ms. 
Gonzalez was going to be there any time before she takes up 
her duties in Geneva in February 2006.  Post will send 
complete bio info septel. 
LANGDALE 
LANGDALE