Tobacco Documents Online

29-03-1990 16:52 INFaTAB META SCIENTISTS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS IVIEETING R.J. Reynolds Tobacco CrnbH Maria-Ablass-Platz 15 Cologne f 5! 1 fi Mamh 1990 Present: Dr. Ferdinand Kiiill Mr. H. Dymond Mr. R. Davies Mr. J. Bevan Mr. E. Cumming Dr. D. Rowland Dr. 1. Marcovitch Dr. M. Speck Dr. D. MacKenzie Mr. R. Allen 01 569 7033 P. 92 R.J. Reynolds BAT BAT Rothmans Rothmans Rothmans Philip Morris Philip Morris Gallaher Infotab Mid-F.ast Director t Ms:rch ] 5 Scientists Meeting Mr. Dymond reported the points for action outlined at the February 7 MCTA meeting in Londoct: A. I. it was time to have Mid-East contact lists updated. Changes on the Technical side had take place. ACI'ION: All members A.2. A data survey of all META and all other (competitors') brands in the Middle East to be sent to Mr. Dymond. Distributors were to be asked to send aa3mpfes of non-META brands. Mr. Allen was to co-ordinate this on 1da ultieutztc urriral in the Qu1f; to gGt all the brands togother in Dubai and aGW tticuz l-ack to Mr. Dyownd. Ikjcnding on the nurnbers of brands. three or more companies were to organise their analysis. AC'1'IUN: All companies plus Mr. Allen A_3_ A Borgwaldt cabinet costing some 16,000 inclucling freight had been identified and could be offered to SASO if during the next visit to SASO it was considered worthwhile. AG"it'ION: META Scientists 1,

20-83-1790 16:52 Ihlr'©TAB 01 569 ?033 P.03 2. B. The submission to B,adr Al-Saad was put in its final form. The letter was circulated at the meeting. Mr. Davies pointed out that lead and cadmium rrtcasurements if applied in the CCC would set aa precedent for the industry worldwide. A summary of the letter was to be written in Arabic and sent to Badr At-Saad. AGTION; Mr. Dymond r Ivtr. Dymond and others pointed out that over the last 3-4 years membcrs had been receiving via the C+CC Chambers of Commerce, both OCC, SASO and other GCC countries' standards. The industry needed one complete list of =p-tn-clnte sta,ndardi (tar, nicotine, additives. etc.) applicable in +etwh country. Mr. Allen was to seek facts from each Chamber, compile the list and send to members. AGTION; Mr. Allen 11 March 16 Scient34ts and Public Affairs A_ Industry po~sition on Tar and Nicotine levels Mr. Dymond said to g+cneral agreement that the MEWO paper on tar and nicotine levels was a minimum position only and it was now time to take thim fi,rther_ tt. had her" writte,n originally for in-house us.e. L7r_ MacKenzie said lower limits could impose different reactions from individnal smokers regarding frequency of puffs and other efforts to wmpcnmt--, micl that thcs+c points ncodcd to bo brnught out. In markets other thHiri 1he Clutfi, anti-industry legislation had sought to change tar levels only, but that the Gulf was crrrphaxising both elements. The industry had greater scope for product modification if tar was reduced and rticotinee enhanr.r.d_ Tighter li.r'itg had tn be monitored. Thc question wos raised at what point it was worth the industry staying in the market if and when the number of government constraints lecame intolerable. Mr. Rr.van pointed out that the industry did not know the nature of the thrcat (blanket prejudice designcd to elirninate the industry; t,ric3ng/fiacal threat: the geographiril origin vi7.HeAlth MiniStrtes or WHt]; politirstl or hr.AithlfisrAf) and that therefore the industry hadd to take practical steps to identify these.

r 20-03-1990 16 ~ 53 `'I NFOTAB 01 569 7033 P. 04 3. Mr. Dymond suggested one paper to be sent to ofie official who could help identify the origins and purpose of the threat and advise on steps that could reasonably be taken by the industry. After further discussion, it was agreed that a letter should be drafted and passed to META industry spokesmen including lawyers, before being discussed with Dr. Khateeb in Bahrain. The consensus was with ih. Markovitch's view that an approach should be low-key and general. rather than specific, but that scientific evidence should be available as support material. Mr. Dymond suggested that a ciialogue could be started between META scientists and an equivalent body from the GCC (Mrs. Al-KharaB in Kuwait; Badr Al-Saad in Saudi Arabia; Dr. Khateeb in Ba,hrairt; Dr. Kc,th in Qatar; Dr. Al-Mohaideb in Abu [lhAbi). Mi. Bevan ccynsidered this idea should be built up slowly and expanded over the next year or so, and that Mr. Allen on arrival in the Gulf should explore who were the key playere in thte anti-industry campaign. Mr. Davies pointed out that the threat against mcls and pricing/tax was different in each case - some measures particularly on constituent levels could be enacted by Health Ministers of GCC governments and others such as tax increases and sponsorship were public issues. Mr. Dymond with general agreement thought there had to be a two-fold position from the industry: (a) to defend 12:0.8 (b) if necessary, to concede on tar levels, but not on nicotine. Mr. Cumming stresscd that 0.8 was the 'bottom line', Mr. Dymond added that it should be stressed that the industry was acting in the best interests of the consumer and that without the industry, the GCC would be subject to self-made cigarettes and smuggling risks. ACTION: Mr. Dymond Mr. Dymond to draft a paper if possible by May even if it is not discussed at the May META meeting; and long-term to search for a meeting with Dr. Khateeb. In any case, the letter/paper would have to be cleared by META company lawyers in advance of being sent to Kheteeb. (Papers on GCC cu(istitueat levels; warning and constituents labelling allegations and inclustry responses 'chronoglogical summary of GCC anti-industry legislation' passed to conferees by Mr. Allen).

20-03-1990 16:55 -INFOTAB 01 569 7033 P.05 4. i i i Pipe-tolacco Mr. Cumming said Swedish Tabac was selling in Saudi Arabia by labelling tar percentage of 2.6. Dr. MacKenzie said Gallaher had only a small interest in Mid-East pipe-tobacto sales, but that it could become an important issue. Mr. Cumming suggested it might be possible to approach SASO to ask what labelling requirements they would be willing to accept. It was possible to put nicotine percentages on but impossible to put tar 1eve1x_ Rothmans would prefer a collective META approach and would not act in isolation. The legislation nn lahelling applied to sll products but SASO had now recognised that measurement was impossihle_ Customs were the problem as they were still applying the legislation. It was agreed that Mr. Allen should in time attempt a dialogue with OCC Customs. AMflN: Mr. Allen and all companies I V CI~ SASO was applying to cig»rs 1he. Knme specification as for cigarettes. Dutch cigars were entering Saudi Arabia via leddah hut not via Dhahran. Dr. MacKenzie said Gallaher could well pull out of the market if there was a problem over labelling tar and nicotine contents for cigars. Robin Allen 19.3.90 TOTAL P.05