GOC DIPNOTE ON BEAUFORT SEA DEMARCHE

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000595 SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/OA (RWSMITH),EB/ESC (MCMANUS AND ERVITI), WHA/CAN (MASON AND RUNNING) DOE FOR I/A (A/S BAILEY AND KATHLEEN DEUTSCH) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHSA PBTS PREL ENRG SENV CA SUBJECT: GOC DIPNOTE ON BEAUFORT SEA DEMARCHE REFTEL: A) STATE 43993; B) OTTAWA 0487 ON MARCH 3, EMBASSY RECEIVED DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE DIPNOTE NUMBER JLO0041 OF FEBRUARY 27, 2003, RESPONDING TO OUR DEMARCHE AND DIPNOTE (REFTELS) NUMBER 169 OF FEBRUARY 18, 2003, PERTAINING TO FEDERAL REGISTER NOTIFICATION OF LEASE SALES IN THE BEAUFORT SEA. WE WILL MAIL A COPY OF THE CANADIAN DIPNOTE TO ROBERT SMITH IN STATE OES/OA. THE TEXT OF THE CANADIAN DIPNOTE IS AS FOLLOWS: "NOTE NO. JLO0041 THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HAS THE HONOUR TO REFER: (A) TO THE EMBASSY'S DIPLOMATIC NOTE NO. 169 OF 18 FEBRUARY 2003; AND (B) TO THE PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER VOL. 68, NO. 34 OF 20 FEBRUARY 2003 BY THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OF A NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY CONCERNING THE PROPOSED NOTICE OF SALE FOR PROPOSED OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF OIL AND GAS LEASE SALE 186 IN THE BEAUFORT SEA WHICH IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO BE UNDERTAKEN ON 24 SEPTEMBER ¶2003. THE EMBASSY HAS THE FURTHER HONOUR TO INFORM THE EMBASSY THAT: (A) CANADA NOTES WITH CONCERN THAT THE AREAS COVERED BY THE PROPOSED LEASE SALE IN THE BEAUFORT SEA EXTEND EASTWARD OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN ON LONGITUDE AND, THEREFORE, INTO AN AREA OF THE TERRITORIAL SEA, EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELF OF CANADA OVER WHICH CANADA EXERCISES EXCLUSIVE SOVEREIGN RIGHTS IN RESPECT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE SEABED AND SUBSOPIL; (B) CANADA ALSO NOTES WITH CONCERN THAT THE MAP PUBLISHED BY THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ON 8 JANUARY 2003 DEPICTS PROPOSED OIL AND GAS LEASE AREAS WHICH EXTEND EASTWARD OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE AND/OR SHOW THE MARITIME BOUNDARY BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS LYING EASTWARD OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE; AND, (C) CANADA REJECTS ANY PURPORTED EXERCISE OF JURISDICTION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR THE STATE OF ALASKA OVER THAT PART OF THE SEABED, WATER COLUMN OR NATURAL RESOURCES THEREOF, IN THE BEAUFORT SEA REGION EAST OF THE 141ST MERIDIAN OF LONGITUDE AND DOES NOT ACQUIESCE IN ANY MEASURE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR BY THE STATE OF ALASKA WHICH WOULD INFRINGE UPON CANADIAN SOVEREIGNTY OR SOVEREIGN RIGHTS IN THIS AREA. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. OTTAWA, 27 FEBRUARY 2003." CELLUCCI