VZCZCXRO7236
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAG #0062/01 2961652
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 231652Z OCT 07
FM AMCONSUL HAMBURG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0182
INFO RUEHAG/AMCONSUL HAMBURG 0202
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0169
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0004
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0009

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 HAMBURG 000062 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR E, EEB AND EUR/AGS 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/23/2017 
TAGS: EFIN ECON ETRD GR
SUBJECT: TREASURY DEPUTY SECRETARY KIMMITT SPEAKS WITH GERMAN FINANCE 
MINISTER ON SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS, EXCHANGE RATES, AND IRAN 
 
 
HAMBURG 00000062  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Karen Johnson, Consul General, U.S. Consulate 
General Hamburg, U.S. Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
SECRET NOFORN 
 
SIPDIS 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The main focus of Deputy Treasury Secretary 
Robert Kimmitt's and German Finance Minister Peter Steinbrueck's 
October 16 meeting in Hamburg was the creation of "guidelines" 
or "best practices" for Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs).  Both 
Steinbrueck and Kimmitt agreed that the discussion for such 
"guidelines" should take place in a multilateral forum.  They 
also agreed on a voluntary, industry derived set of "guidelines" 
or "standards" for hedge funds.  Steinbrueck reported that 
France's push for G-7 statement on the euro/dollar exchange rate 
would likely not be successful as the majority of Euro Group 
members, including Germany, did not support this approach. 
Kimmitt informed Steinbrueck that intelligence regarding German 
banks' interactions with Iran would be passed to his staff.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
AGREEMENT ON WAY FORWARD ON HEDGE FUNDS AND SWF PRACTICES 
 
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¶2. (SBU) After hearing Steinbrueck's speech earlier in the day, 
Kimmitt offered that past disagreements concerning a "code of 
conduct" for hedge funds were largely due to a linguistic 
misunderstanding and not a substantive difference.  Americans 
tend to view a "code of conduct" as being mandated from above, 
whereas "best practices" or "guidelines" connote self 
regulation.  Both Kimmitt and Steinbrueck were in agreement that 
such "guidelines" would work best if they emanate from industry 
and are not mandated by governments. 
 
¶3. (C) Referring to his talks with Russian Finance Minister 
Aleksey Kudrin on October 15, Steinbrueck observed that Kudrin 
has been moving very cautiously regarding SWFs.  He noted that 
Russia, which established a stability fund, does not want to be 
compared with China.  While Germany is interested in attracting 
foreign investment, it needs to pursue a review regime in order 
to prevent unwanted investment.  However, Germany's priority is 
to remain open to investment.  Kimmitt replied that one should 
differentiate between SWFs -- which historically have been 
patient, long-term investors -- and state-owned enterprises, 
which may represent a concern in some cases. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The U.S. and Germany should not give the impression 
that they are looking at SWFs differently now because China and 
Russia have accumulated wealth recently. Kimmitt also stated 
that he has noted a developing suspicion among APEC and G20 
member state representatives that the G7 member states are 
attempting to restrain them in the area of SWFs.  This needs to 
be avoided by supporting technical discussions in multilateral 
fora.  Steinbrueck supported the idea of discussing SWF best 
practices and policies at the international level.  Kimmitt also 
stated that World Bank President Zoellick will want to be part 
of the debate.  He also spoke with OECD Secretary General Gurria 
on a proposal to bring together the OECD, IMF and World Bank to 
coordinate on best practices related to investment review 
regimes and SWFs.  Kimmitt stressed that investment barriers 
will need to be kept as low as possible. 
 
STEINBRUECK INTERESTED IN U.S. MORTGAGE MARKER 
 
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¶5. (U) Steinbrueck also inquired on the status of the U.S. 
sub-prime crisis.  Kimmitt referred him to Federal Reserve 
Chairman Ben Bernake's October 15 remarks in which he stated 
that the housing market may put a drag on the U.S. economy 
during the 2007 final quarter and into early 2008.  Kimmitt 
mentioned that while the mortgage market represented an economic 
headwind, US economic fundamentals were sound. 
 
FRANCE ALONE AMONG EURO GROUP ON EXCHANGE RATE VALUATION 
 
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------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Steinbrueck reported that in the most recent Euro Group 
meeting, France stated that they would like a G7 statement on 
 
HAMBURG 00000062  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the euro/dollar exchange rate.  Steinbrueck said that was not 
sure how the French would proceed and he assured Kimmitt that 
the majority of the Euro Group, including Germany, did NOT 
support France.  Both agreed that France was pursuing a 
troubling path and that G7 countries should focus on structural 
constraints not nominal exchange rate valuations. 
 
SECOND TIER GERMAN BANKS FILLING BUSINESS VOID IN IRAN 
 
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-------------------- 
 
¶7. (S) Before ending the meeting, Kimmitt informed Steinbrueck 
that the Treasury Department had passed intelligence on German 
banks' interactions with Iran to his office and to German 
intelligence agencies.  Kimmitt told Steinbrueck that second 
tier German banks (BHF and DZ) were filling the business void 
left by Deutsche Bank and Commerz.  He requested that 
Steinbrueck look closely at the information.  Steinbrueck 
promised to do so upon his return to Berlin. 
 
¶8. (U) This message has been cleared with Deputy Secretary 
Kimmitt. 
JOHNSON