VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #0101 0321725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011725Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2724
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1937
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0781
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0164
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 5438
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1801
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000101
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/R/MR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC ECON EAGR CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - U.S. POULTRY TO ENTER CHILEAN MARKET
1. Summary: Chile's Agriculture Minister Marigen Hornkohl announced
on January 31 that U.S. poultry can now enter the Chilean market.
She underscored the significance of this authorization stating, "The
diversity, depth, and scope of the ties between Chile and the United
States have taken our bilateral relations to its highest point in
history." Chilean dailies quoted the Ambassador's remarks
highlighting that agricultural trade between the two countries has
more that doubled since the Chile-U.S FTA went into effect in 2004.
End Summary.
2. Media headlines and excerpts about the authorization of U.S.
poultry exports into Chile follow:
3. Business and financial daily "Diario Financiero" (circ. 30,000)
headlined: "Chile authorizes entry of U.S. poultry products"
Subheadline read: U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons thanked Chile's
sanitary authorities for its work. Agreement also establishes
periodic audits of the inspection system.
4. "After four years of negotiations in the framework of the
Chile-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Chile's Agricultural and
Livestock Service (SAG) approved the U.S. poultry and poultry
product inspection, control and certification system, which will
allow the entry of those products in the Chilean market.... In his
remarks to reporters after the meeting, Ambassador Simons
underscored that since the Chile-U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreement
(FTA) came into force in 2004, commercial exchange of agricultural
products had more than doubled, benefiting citizens in both
countries."
5. Government-owned, editorially independent "La Nacion" (circ.
4,200) ran a story titled: "Chile opens its doors to U.S. poultry
meat and products, thanks to the FTA"
6. "The entry of U.S. poultry products into Chile became official
yesterday after a meeting between Minister of Agriculture Marigen
Hornkohl and U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons.... Ambassador Simons
underscored that since the Chile-U.S. Bilateral Free Trade Agreement
(FTA) came into force in 2004, commercial exchanges of agricultural
products had more than doubled. "Many Chilean products reach our
market, such as wood, salmon, and agricultural products, and our
products reach the Chilean market. This shows that the FTA is
yielding benefits for citizens in both countries," said Simons.
7. "La Tercera," conservative, independent (circ. 101,000)" on line
service (2/1) ran: "U.S poultry products to be sold in Chile"
8. "As part of a new step forward in the Chile-U.S. FTA signed in
2004, Minister of Agriculture Marigen Horknkohl announced, after a
meeting with Ambassador Paul Simons, that U.S. poultry will begin to
be sold in Chile.... Hornkohl said that since the signature of the
bilateral FTA, the value of Chilean exports has increased by 151
percent."
9. "El Mercurio," conservative, influential newspaper-of-record
(circ. 129,000)" on line service (2/1) headlined: "U.S. poultry meat
gets SAG permit to enter the Chilean market" The subheadline read:
"U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons underscored that agricultural
commercial exchange has more that doubled since the bilateral FTA
came into effect."
10. On line, independent news service "El Mostrador," quoted
Minister Hornkohl: "The diversity, depth, and scope of the ties
between Chile and the United States have taken our bilateral
relations to its highest point in history."
11. "Publimetro," free publication distributed in the metro
published: "Chile opens its market to U.S poultry meat." In the
framework of a meeting between Minister of Agriculture Marigen
Hornkohl and U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons, on Thursday, the
authorization for the entry of U.S. poultry meat and products became
official. The authorization is a new step forward for the bilateral
free trade agreement.
12. Conservativa, independent "La Tercera" (circ. 101,000)
headlined: "Chile opens its market to U.S. poultry meat and begins
negotiations for citric products."
SIMONS