[Intl-tobacco] Waxman/Doggett on US Ambassador Mtg with Thai Officials

[robert weissman]

Image of original letter at:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/trade/2006.11.Rice.ltr.tif

html at:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/trade/doggett.thai.html


December 5, 2006

The Honorable Condoleeza Rice
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20520

Re: Doggett Amendment Compliance

Dear Secretary Rice,

As you know, the "Doggett Amendment" prohibits key government agencies
from promoting the sale of tobacco products overseas, or working to
reduce other countries' non-discriminatory tobacco control regulations.(1)

In this context, we write to inquire about reports that the U.S.
Ambassador to Thailand, Ralph Boyce, in August 2006 coordinated a
meeting of U.S. industry representatives, including Philip Morris
representatives, with the Thai Health Minister. The reported purpose of
the meeting was protest existing advertising restrictions on cigarettes.
According to Thai media accounts, the tobacco industry representatives
demanded that cigarettes not be subjected to more severe advertising
restrictions than other forms of tobacco, such as cigars and pipes.(2)

We are concerned that this meeting may have contravened the spirit and
perhaps the letter of the Doggett Amendment.

We request that you provide us an account of what occurred at the August
meeting, who attended, and what messages were communicated by Ambassador
Boyce and tobacco industry attendees about public health-based
advertising restrictions. We request as well that you provide us with
your understanding of whether this meeting complied with the Doggett
Amendment. We also request that you inform us of any other meetings with
foreign governments that U.S. government representatives have attended
over the last six years in conjunction with tobacco industry
representatives.

We would appreciate receiving your response by January 30, 2007. If you
have any questions, please contact Rep. Doggett's office at 202-225-4865.

Sincerely,

Henry Waxman, Ranking Member		Lloyd Doggett, Member
Committee on Government Reform		Committee on Ways and Means


(1) Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2006, Section 610.

(2) Arthit Khwankhom, "Tobacco giants meet Pinij," The Nation
(Thailand), August 25, 2006