Cablegate: Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (Bpom)

VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJA #0185 0430436
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120436Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4467
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000185

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND EB/IFD/OMA
USDA/FAS/OA BREWER, STOLL
USDA/FAS/OCRA HALE, HIGGISTON, RADLER
USDA/FAS/OSTA BLUM, MACKE, BERMAN, WETZEL
USTR WEISEL, EHLERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD ID
SUBJECT: Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM)
Agrees to Engage with Post to Resolve Challenges Related to its
System of Product Registration (ML) for Processed Food Products

(U) On February 10, 2010 representatives from the Foreign
Agricultural Service's (FAS) Jakarta office met with representatives
from BPOM as a follow-up to a meeting on February 2, 2010 between
officials from BPOM, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative,
and FAS' Jakarta and Washington offices. The topic of the initial
meeting was BPOM's ML system for processed food products and the
resulting challenges U.S. exporters face when attempting to export
processed food products to Indonesia.

The objective of the February 10 meeting was to continue the
dialogue initiated on February 2, and to further seek solutions for
a more workable ML system for U.S. processed food products. FAS
asked BPOM for weekly meetings until the scheduled visit of
President Obama to Indonesia in late March. BPOM agreed to this
request and Friday, February 12, 2010 was identified for the next
meeting. Furthermore, FAS asked BPOM to broaden the discussions to
include private sector industry representatives, to which BPOM also
agreed. FAS stressed the need to find a mutually agreeable, workable
process to advance Indonesian food safety, as well as facilitating
trade.
FAS Jakarta is currently identifying and coordinating appropriate
industry representatives.

OSIUS

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