VZCZCXRO1748
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHFR #0083 0211800
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211800Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5281
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2989
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS PARIS 000083 
 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/HALE/ROSADO; 
OCRA/NENON; 
ONA/RIEMENSCHNEIDER/YOUNG/DENNIS; 
OFSO/YOUNG; 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USTR FOR JIM MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR ETRD FR
SUBJECT: ROQUEFORT CALLS ON EMBASSY PARIS 
 
REF: Paris 62 
 
¶1.  A delegation of Roquefort cheese producers and political 
representatives presented a letter (and several rounds of cheese) to 
the Embassy January 21, imploring the new U.S. administration not to 
implement the recently announced decision to increase duties on 
Roquefort cheese to 300 percent.  The delegation was headed by 
Martin Malvy, Socialist President of the Midi-Pyrenees Region (and 
former Minister for Trade from 1984 to 1986); Socialist Senator 
Alain Fauconnier; Regional Council member Jean-Luc Malet and Mayor 
of St. Rome de Cernon Pierre Pantanella, and Roquefort producers 
Laurent Reversat, of the French farmers' union "Confederation 
Paysanne," and Claudette Vials of the "Syndicat Roquefort." 
 
¶2.  The delegation focused on the disproportionate impact the 
increased tariff would have on France's renowned soft blue cheese: 
loss of the U.S. export market and the potential failure of many 
small Roquefort producers in mountainous and agriculturally marginal 
rural area. France exports 400 tons of Roquefort to the U.S. 
annually (2 percent of total production).  Malvy expressed his 
"shock" that Roquefort cheese, an emblem of France, was a "hostage 
of a debate" that had nothing to do with the Midi-Pyrenees region 
that prided itself on the quality of its 104 agricultural products 
as well as its close ties to the U.S. 
 
¶3. "It is not our conflict," Laurent Reversat commented and noted 
that it had required "huge financial efforts" to export Roquefort 
when duties had been raised to 100 percent, and exports would be 
unsustainable at 300 percent, particularly in light of the current 
economic context.  Reversat, who is closely aligned with 
anti-globalization activist Jose Bove, told journalists that 
Roquefort producers were considering taking action to protest the 
new tariffs.  He noted that 2009 is the 10 year anniversary of the 
first act of destruction of a McDonalds restaurant in France. 
 
¶4. Socialist Senator Fauconnier said the U.S. action was completely 
disproportionate."  He added that France's concern with American 
meat products, particularly hormone beef and "chlorine-treated" 
chicken, was a far larger and complex "social and cultural problem 
for France." 
 
¶5.  Responding to French concerns, Econ Minister Counselor agreed to 
accept the letter (septel) and explained the context of this long 
running dispute and  that the U.S. has been extremely patient but is 
entitled to retaliate under WTO rules, emphasizing that Roquefort 
cheese was among many products on the revised tariff list.  He 
stated that the best possible solution for affected agricultural 
producers in France is to ensure expanded market access for US meat 
products, hormone treated or otherwise. 
 
PEKALA