VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGP #0358/01 0520915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210915Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2493
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 4478
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4006
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 5050
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 2985
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6167

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000358 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FAS FOR OA, OSTA, OCBD, OCRA, OFSO, 
USDA FOR DUS LAMBERT AND TERPSTRA, APHIS/IS, FSIS 
USTR FOR AUSTR BWEISEL, DAUSTR JJENSEN, AGRICULTURE 
 
MANILA FOR APHIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON SENV USTR SN
 
SUBJECT: U.S. Beef - Singapore Cautious About Expanding 
Market Access 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Singapore will move cautiously in 
lifting its remaining import restrictions on U.S. bone-in 
cuts of beef and other meat products, Agri-Food and 
Veterinary Authority (AVA) CEO and CVO Dr. CHUA Sin Bin 
told USDA Deputy Under Secretary Lambert on February 13. 
AVA did not want to "rock the boat" with its constituents, 
many of whom would be uncomfortable moving from a "zero- 
tolerance" to a "controlled risk" (i.e., science-based) 
approach to managing imports of beef products from BSE 
countries, Dr. Chua claimed.  DUS Lambert stressed that 
USDA wanted to work with AVA through this transition.  DUS 
Lambert also discussed the U.S.-Singapore-Indonesia Avian 
Influenza eradication project in Tangerang, Indonesia in a 
separate meeting with Ministry of Health Senior Director 
(Operations Group) KOH Peng Keng.  End summary. 
 
Still Premature to Lift Restrictions 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) DUS Lambert and the Food Safety Inspection 
ServiceQs Rick Harries briefed Dr. Chua on the U.S. Bovine 
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Risk Status Classification 
Request to the World Animal Health Organization (OIE). 
They also discussed the 2006 revised Harvard Risk 
Assessment of measures USDA had undertaken since the 
December 2003 detection of BSE in the United States.  DUS 
Lambert noted that the OIE would disseminate a proposed 
risk classification of countries for BSE, Rinderpest, and 
other diseases later this month.  He expressed his hope 
that Singapore would support the OIE's recommended risk 
classification for the United States at the OIE General 
Assembly in Paris in May.  As DUS Lambert explained, a 
"controlled risk" classification, for example, would 
clarify the eligibility of U.S. beef and variety meats from 
animals of all ages to be traded, depending on the removal 
of specified risk materials (SRMs). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Dr. Chua responded that it was still premature 
for AVA to expand the range of U.S. beef products allowed 
into the Singapore market beyond boneless cuts of beef.  He 
noted that AVA was satisfied with the progress the United 
States had made in addressing AVA's concerns with some 
initial shipments that recommenced last year, and praised 
the good working relationship AVA enjoyed with USDA in 
managing these imports.  (Note: Singapore lifted its two- 
year ban on boneless cuts of U.S. beef from animals under 
30 months of age in January 2006.  End note.) 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Dr. Chua said he appreciated the updated 
information contained in the USG's OIE classification 
request and the Harvard Risk Assessment.  However, his 
inclination to move slowly on additional market access 
stemmed from what he deemed "worrying" scientific research 
that, for example, indicated the detection of prions in 
certain bovine products.  (Note: Dr. Chua made this claim 
without demonstrating that these products were potentially 
infective materials.  End note.)  He also questioned the 
usefulness of the current OIE classification system, noting 
that it did not take into account prevalence information. 
 
What it Will Take 
----------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Dr. Chua stated that the GOS would not make any 
decision before the OIE meeting in May.  However, even if 
Singapore were to remove its remaining restrictions on U.S. 
beef imports at a later date, it would insist on 
requirements that differed from OIE guidelines, he said. 
In particular, AVA would apply the OIE definition of SRMs 
for animals over 30 months of age to animals of all ages. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) AVA was continuously reviewing new information 
and developments, but did not want to "rock the boat," Dr. 
Chua said.  A number of AVA's constituents would be 
uncomfortable moving from a "zero-tolerance" to a 
"controlled risk" approach for managing imports of beef 
products from BSE countries.  Dr. Chua expressed specific 
concerns about importing from countries with relatively 
 
high prevalence of BSE, some of which had also approached 
AVA to lift their respective import restrictions.  He 
explained that Singapore could not rely solely on OIE 
guidelines, but rather would have to conduct its own 
assessment to reassure its consumers.  DUS Lambert said 
that USDA was willing to work with AVA as it moved towards 
a "science-based" risk assessment approach. 
 
¶7.  DUS Lambert did not have an opportunity to clear this 
message. 
 
HERBOLD