*********** 042794B.BIO *********** Country: Thailand, France From: Foreign Broadcast Information Sevice FBIS-EAS-94-050 15 March 19944 p. 68-70 KEYWORDS: Thailand, France, Fisheries, International Trade +++++ Five articles/broadcasts from Thailand: 1. PROTEST VOICED AGAINST FRENCH FISH BAN BKI203132094 Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in Thai 1030 GMT 12 Mar 94 [Text] On 9 March the French Government made two announcements imposing new conditions on the import of seafood and fish products from countries outside the European Union. The two announcements have hurt Thai fish products sent earlier to France and those that are to be exported there. The Association of Processed Food Producers estimated that the loss is valued at about 70.66 million baht or 17 million francs. The does not include losses by other associations such as the Associations of Frozen Food and Marine Animal Traders. Government agencies such as the Fishery Department, the Commerce Ministry, and the Foreign Ministry are keeping close contacts with France's agriculture and fishery ministries to solve the problem. Since the new regulations have been imposed at the request of French fishermen dissatisfied with falling fish prices, French agencies are reluctant to allow Thailand and other countries to resume exporting fish products to their market. The European Union has also expressed disagreement with the action taken by France. The Thai private sector is disappointed with France's sudden imposition of restrictions and has proposed that the Thai Government resort to trade retaliation against it if negotiations to tackle this problem fail. On 9 March, the Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador to hear to the Thai complaint and has asked France to allow Thai fish products to be sold in the French market as before. Phirat Itsarasena na Ayutthaya, deputy permanent secretary for foreign affairs, has been assigned to follow up. The French ambassador has promised to bring Thailand's request to French agencies for urgent consideration. +++++ 2. MINISTER THREATENS RETALIATION BK1203132494 Bangkok NAEO NA in Thai 12 Mar 94 p 7 [Text] Commerce Minister Uthai Phimchaichon has told reporters that it is unfair for France to set up barriers against Thai fish products, noting that the Commerce Ministry has been trying to settle the matter through diplomatic channels and instructed the Thai commerce attache to closely monitor the situation. Uthai said: "If France continues to use such unfair measures against us, we must plan to reciprocate as France exports mostly luxury goods to Thailand. If we do nothing, France will treat us like that again." The commerce minister disclosed that other countries suffering from the French action include Indonesia and the Philippines. France, by so doing, has claimed that these countries have no specific quality control agencies for their fish products. Meanwhile, the European Union has set the end of 1994 as the deadline for all its members including France to do away with such protectionist measures. +++++ 3. FRENCH BAN 'CAN BE RESOLVED' BKI303073094 Bangkok BANGKOK POST in English 12 Mar 94 p 2 [Text] French Ambassador to Thailand Jacques Rummelhardt yesterday expressed the hope that the difficulties caused by the French government decision of February 9 to ban imports of Thai fisheries products would soon be resolved. Mr Rummelhardt said after meeting Commerce Deputy Minister Chaiyot Sasomsap his gov- ernment's decision did not set any new conditions on seafood imports. "The decision was based on the restrictions to which both seafood imports and exports are subject. We must rust secure guarantees on these restrictions and the condition to get a guarantee from Thailand must be observed," he said. Thai fishery imports to the French market were banned as of February 9 due to uncertainties over a competent inspection authority. Mr Chaiyot said the confusion resulted from the fact that Thailand has several agencies involved in the inspection process. He said the foremost inspection authority for Thailand was the Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperative Ministry's Fisheries Department. The Deputy Minister "pressed reservations concerning Paris's decision, citing the perception of a selective practice toward Thailand because Bangkok had submitted the required documents indicating the Fisheries Department was the foremost authority concemed with export inspection. It appears Thai exports have been singled out by French authorities, he said. Foreign Trade Department Director General Oranut Osathanan said the French had allowed seven countries to import fishery produdts after the February 9 decision. They are the United States, Morocco, El Salvador, Brazil, Colombia, Senegal and the Ivory Coast. Ms Oranut said Thailand had submitted a memorandum similar to the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry letter with trade information for the French ambassador on Wednesday for forwarding to his government informing them of the Thai position. The French ambassador assured Mr Chaiyot he would inform his government as soon as possible of the problems facing Thailand to salvage the relationship between the two countries. The Thai Government will await the decision of the French before taking any measures. "Future action may take place in a very short period," said Mr Chaiyot when asked for a deadline on future measures, declining to elaborate. Mr Rummelhardt acknowledged that French fishermen and the fishing industry was experiencing economic hardship and had pressed the government for help, yet he denied the request was a factor in his government's decision to ban Thai imports. +++++ 4. MINISTER MEETS EC AMBASSADOR BKI403150294 Bangkok Thai Color Television Channel 9 in Thai 1200 GAIT 14 Mar 94 [Text] Commerce Minister Uthai Phimchaichon granted an interview to newsmen dier he discussed with the EC ambassador the French ban on imports of Thai fisheries products. He said the ban was tantamount to trade protectionism and discrimination because Thailand abided by regulations concerning its exports. He said the EC ambassador expressed concern about what happened and asked Thailand not to lodge a complaint with GATT yet. The commerce minister also said he would raise the problem for discussion at tomorrow's cabinet session because the Thai private sector has already reported a loss of more than 100 million baht-and it could reach a billion baht. [Begin Uthai recording] I will report the matter to the cabinet tomorrow; the private sector appealed for retaliation against France. But if we take action, it could lead to strained relations, and we do not want that. We might have to lodge a complaint with GATT if we do not get a good explanation or proper solution to the problem. Anyway, the EC ambassador told us not to take that step yet, but to let him do the work first. [end recording] +++++ 5. MAY SEEK GATT RULING BK1503042694 Bangkok BANGKOK POST in English 15 Mar 94 p 26 [Text] Thailand may seek a formal ruling from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade council regarding the French Government's decision to ban Thai imports of fishery products, said Commerce Minister Uthai Phimchaichon. Mr Uthai said after meeting with the head of a delegation of the Commission of the European Union, J. Gwyn Morgan, the second meeting of an EU representative with the Commerce Ministrythat he had expressed his government's dissatisfaction over the French ban. The import ban is based on confusion over Thailand's foremost, competent export inspection authority. He indicated that if Thailand does not receive a timely and satisfactory response from the French Government, his agency may take the case to the GATT council to seek redress from the balance of a perceived selective practice against Thailand. Mr Morpn has urged the Thai Government to delay any decision to involve a GATT review and allow him his best effort to solve the current dispute. Mr Uthai will inform the Cabinet today of the French authority's actions but declined to elaborate on what short-term measures, if any, the Thai Government should take against France. The Thai Food Processors Association and the Thai Frozen Food Association has called for trade retaliation. "We hope the dispute will be resolved soon and will not jeopardise the existing relationship between our two countries," said Mr Uthai. Mr Morgan said yesterday: "On behalf of the European Union, we, in Brussels, will discuss with our French colleagues a remedy and resolution to this dispute as soon as possible". The French Government banned Thai fishery imports on February 9. ************** END Msg. B.BIO **************