VZCZCXRO3934
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0143 0331000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021000Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4408
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS JAKARTA 000143
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, EEB/TPP/BTA
DEPT PASS TO USTR BWEISEL AND KEHLERS
COMMERCE FOR 4430/NADJMI AND SBERLINGUETTE
USDA/FAS/OSTA FOR CASEY BEAN
E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD BEXP EINV ID
SUBJECT: LETTER RECEIVED FROM MINISTER OF TRADE FOR USTR KIRK
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On January 28, 2010, Embassy received official
correspondence from Government of Indonesia (GOI) Minister of Trade
Mari Elka Pangestu, dated January 26, addressed to United States
Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Ron Kirk. The letter is in
response to the USTR letter of November 6, 2009 and provides updated
information on the status of Minister of Health's Decree 1010 and
regulation of halal products. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Begin text:
Minister of Trade of The Republic of Indonesia
Jakarta, January 26, 2010
Our Ref. 130/M-DAG/SD/1/2010
His Excellency
Ambassador Ron Kirk
United States Trade Representative
600 17th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20508
United States of America
Dear Ambassador Kirk:
First of all I wish you a belated Happy New Year 2010, may our
bilateral relation continue to prosper this year and the years to
come.
I must apologize for not replying sooner to your letter of
November 6, 2009, which was due to the need to reconfirm issues
raised in your letter to the concerned Ministries.
As for the Minister of Health's Regulation Number 1010 on
Registration of Medicines, I would like to inform you that according
to the Ministry of Health no proposal has so far been put forward by
foreign companies on the changes of existing regulations.
Concerning Decree Number 245, the Ministry of Health is planning to
revise the Decree, especially the technical aspects, to adapt with
associated rules and regulations. Stakeholders will be given the
opportunity to provide inputs, and as such, this opportunity may be
taken to raise the proposal on the quality assurance standards.
On the regulation concerning halal products, I am pleased to
note that your Administration acknowledges the right of Indonesia to
regulate trade in halal products. I wish to reassure you that we
uphold the importance of being transparent in order to minimize
unwanted disruptions in trade. In this respect, the BPOM/NA-DFC
(Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan/the National Agency of Drug and
Food Control) on several occasions has conducted dissemination of
information programs, attended by various stakeholders and partner
countries, including IPMG (International Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Group). I understand that a review of the regulation
is being undertaken with the aim of clarifying its substance and
purpose to include considerations related to facilitating
registration requirements. I must add that this regulation is
non-discriminatory; it applies to domestic as well as foreign
products. Indonesia will notify all WTO members, once the revision
of the regulation is finalized.
Last but not least I would like to emphasize that I do share
your commitment to expand investment and trade between our two
countries.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Yours sincerely,
Mari Elka Pangestu
END TEXT
HUME