VZCZCXRO9558
PP RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0288 0461337
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151337Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5240
INFO RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1581
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0943
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0010
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0356
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0378
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0450
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0295
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0033
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0106
RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 0002
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0029
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1014
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0129
RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 0018
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 0105
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0075
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0472
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0256
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0271
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0001
RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS 0006
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0154
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0025
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 0008
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 0027
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 0085
RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0038
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0258
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0116
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3878
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2696
UNCLAS ANKARA 000288
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
FOR EEB/TPP/MTA ASCHEIBE
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR BNORTON, JWEISS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD WTRO ECON TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY NOT READY TO COSPONSOR U.S./EC TAFT GOODS
PROPOSAL
REF: STATE 12905
1. (SBU) We delivered reftel points in coordination with the
EC's Economic Counselor in Turkey, Ulrike Hauer. Turkish
Foreign Trade Undersecretariat Deputy Director General for
Multilateral Agreements, Hasan Yalcin, told us that Turkey
supports the ideas presented in the joint proposal "in
principle", but it has too many concerns about some of the
specifics to commit at this time to cosponsoring it.
2. (SBU) Turkey's general concerns relate to the proposal's
potential to ease market access for Turkey's major textile
competitors, such as China. Its specific concerns relate to
the language that requires countries to consult with
non-governmental parties such as the producers and exporters.
Turkey is also concerned about paragraph 2 relating to the
TBT agreement, which Yalcin characterized as too broad and
giving too much strength to the original TBT agreement.
Finally, Turkey objects to the notification requirements and
time limits specified in paragraph 5, which Yalcin
characterized as "impossible".
3. (SBU) Comment: While not yet ready to cosponsor, we got
the impression that Turkey's representatives at the WTO are
willing to discuss their concerns with EC and U.S.
representatives and could be persuaded. End comment.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON