OFFICIAL – SENSITIVE (UK eyes only)
Title of Meeting: Opening Coordination Meeting Date: 24 July Time: 09.30 Participants Name
Department/Directorate
Dan Mullaney
USTR
Tim Wedding
USTR
David Weiner
USTR
Ram Rizzo
USTR
Alexandra Whittaker
Assistant General Counsel USTR
Oliver Griffiths
DIT, UK-US Trade Policy Group
Richard Salt
DIT, UK-US Trade Policy Group
Mark Kent
British Embassy Washington
Key Points to Note UK explained seven short term outcomes. US supports concept of STOs but reserves its position pending inter-agency review.
US question whether Trade Working Group is the right forum for consideration of some of these STOs. UK notes that Economic Working Group only focused on continuity.
US requests STO proposals remain internal to US and UK Government at this stage.
Report of Discussions and Outcome 1. USTR (Wedding) set out their expectations for the agenda of the 2-day meetings running through the individual sessions and representatives on the side. UK (Griffiths) agreed. The UK asked about the treatment of procurement continuity issues, given US sensitivities prevented its addition to the agenda. The US (Wedding) offered to introduce Scott Pietan, USTR lead on procurement who would be able to discuss. But he cautioned that US policy was in flux given the ‘Buy America, Hire America’ report which was under discussion. The US would not have a policy position at this stage, but this was likely a “temporal issue”. 2. The UK introduced discussion of the 7 short term outcomes (STOs) which did not fit within the separate sessions: a. Defence Technology Transfer. The UK (Gadd) presented. Significant existing dialogue at working level with Dept of Defence and State Dept. There is an opportunity to overcome hurdles on both sides given largely homogenous defence industry. Improving the ability to 3