VZCZCXRO9087
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1993/01 3081653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041653Z NOV 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6570
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001993 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USTR, NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR, STATE FOR NEA/FO 
AND IPA; EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD PREL KWBG WTRO KPAL IS
SUBJECT: PA FORMALLY REQUESTS OBSERVER STATUS AT WTO 
MINISTERIAL, BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS WITH USTR 
 
REF: A. GENEVA 950 
     ¶B. GENEVA 961 
 
¶1. (SBU) Senior Palestinian Authority officials tell us that 
the PA formally requested observer status at the November 30 
Ministerial Conference in a November 4 letter from PA 
Ambassador Khraishi to WTO CG Chairman Ambassador Matus in 
Geneva.  The letter was delivered before the November 5 
deadline for submissions to the General Council agenda.  It 
notes that the request for observer status at the Ministerial 
applies in the event that the General Council does not decide 
on the PA's earlier request for formal observer status ahead 
of the Ministerial.  The text of the PA's letter to 
Ambassador Matus follows in paragraph 3. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Separately, PA Minister of National Economy Hasan 
Abu-Libdeh sent a letter to USTR Ambassador Ron Kirk 
proposing immediate bilateral consultations in Washington or 
Ramallah in advance of the November Ministerial.  The text of 
Abu-Libdeh's letter to Ambassador Kirk is in paragraph 4. 
 
¶3. (U) Begin text of Ambassador Khraishi letter to Ambassador 
Matus: 
 
Excellency: 
 
In view of the ongoing deliberations among members of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding my Government's 
pending request for observer status in the General Council 
and its subsidiary bodies, circulated on October 2 as 
contained in document (WT/L/770), and without prejudice to 
the continue priority accorded to that request, I herewith, 
on behalf of Palestine, have the honour to request for 
admission as an observer in the Ministerial Conference of the 
WTO.  This request only applies in the event that the General 
Council does not find itself in a position to decide on our 
aforementioned request for observer status in the General 
Council and its subsidiary bodies in time to allow for 
Palestinian participation in the Seventh Session of the 
Ministerial Conference to be held in Geneva. 
 
Dr. Ibrahim Khraishi 
Ambassador, Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN 
and other International Organizations 
 
End text. 
 
¶3. (U) Begin text of Minister Abu-Libdeh letter to Ambassador 
Kirk: 
 
Your Excellency: 
 
On behalf of the Palestinian National Authority, I would like 
to thank you and the whole of the USTR team for your serious 
engagement on our application for observer status.  We 
especially appreciate the consultations held between our 
delegation and yours at the U.S. Mission in Geneva. 
 
In this regard, I would like to inform you that Palestine 
remains committed to securing observer status in the WTO 
General Council and its subsidiary bodies, with the goal of 
applying for accession in the near future.  We believe that 
WTO observership and subsequent membership are critical for 
our own internal reform and state building efforts as well as 
for ensuring that the prospective Palestinian state is able 
to provide opportunities for future generations, and to be a 
part of the global trading community in order to promote 
stability and growth by being part of and adhering to the 
rules-based multilateral trading system, embodied in the WTO 
agreements. 
 
We appreciate the concerns that your delegation has raised in 
our discussions both in Geneva as well as Jerusalem, and 
would like to inform you that we are prepared to answer them 
in full.  In this regard, we would like to propose immediate 
bilateral consultations in advance of the November 
Ministerial either in Palestine, or in Washington DC.  We are 
ready for these consultations at anytime and believe it would 
be an opportune occasion to get to know each other, and to 
start what we hope to be a long and fruitful relationship and 
learning experience for both our peoples. 
 
Given that consensus has not been reached on our application 
for observer in the General Council, I have written to 
Ambassador Matus, Chairman of the General Council, to ask for 
 
JERUSALEM 00001993  002 OF 002 
 
 
ad hoc observership status for the 7th WTO Ministerial, to be 
held November 2009.  I trust we can count on your full 
support for this request, as we work together aggressively to 
secure U.S. support for our goal of observer status in the 
General Council. 
 
I thank you again for your understanding and cooperation and 
look forward to hearing from you on the start of our 
bilateral consultations. 
 
Accept, Your Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
Hasan Abu-Libdeh 
Minister 
 
RUBINSTEIN