US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1040

UNCLAS ANKARA 001040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, KIPR, TU, USTR 
SUBJECT: TURKISH RESPONSE ON TRIPS MORATORIUM 
 
 
REF: A. 02 STATE 265619 
     B. STATE 26895 
 
 
1.  Econoff delivered ref B demarche to MFA and the Foreign 
Trade Undersecretariat.  Oya Karakas, MFA Head of Department 
for Multilateral Economic Affairs, provided us with the 
following response to Ambassador Zoellick's December letter 
urging other countries to join the TRIPS Moratorium on 
February 7.  In his letter, MFA Yasar Yakis supports our 
decision to declare a moratorium, but does not specify 
whether Turkey will join it.  Karakas told us the GOT 
supported the effort to reach a multilateral consensus on 
this issue, but that Turkey had not taken a decision to join 
the USG in declaring a moratorium.  The text of the letter is 
reproduced below: 
 
 
Begin text: 
 
 
Ankara, 30 January 2003 
 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
 
With reference to your letter of 31 December 2002, concerning 
the TRIPS Agreement and public health, I would like to 
express my appreciation for your and your government's 
efforts to find a solution to this issue affecting some 
developing and least-developed countries facing a serious 
public health crisis. 
 
 
As we have previously expressed on various occasions and 
particularly during the discussions at the WTO, we attach 
utmost importance to this issue.  In our view, public health 
requires a particular attention and it has a certain priority 
among other issues being discussed.  It is our very sincere 
wish to find a solution to fulfil the mandate of the Doha 
Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.  Hence, 
we are disappointed with the lack of progress at the WTO. 
Nevertheless, we continue to look into the future with a view 
to achieving consensus on this issue. 
 
 
In this context, we welcome the decision of the United States 
to declare a moratorium, while the negotiations are under 
way.  In this connection, I appreciate your assurance that 
you will continue to work with other members towards 
achieving consensus. 
 
 
For my part, I would like to assure you that your proposal 
and the points you have mentioned in your letter, will 
receive my Government's due consideration and we will 
continue to cooperate with you on this issue. 
 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
Yasar Yakis 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
 
End text. 
 
 
2.  We also confirmed that Turkey's Ambassador to the WTO 
reports to the MFA, not to the Turkish Foreign Trade 
Undersecretariat or the State Minister for Foreign Trade. 
PEARSON