The "Little" Peace Process Engine That Could - The

UNCLAS AMMAN 010151

SIPDIS

INTERIOR FOR USGS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV XF JO
SUBJECT: The "Little" Peace Process Engine That Could - The
EXACT Regional Water Data Banks Project


1. Summary: Ten years after its inception, the "little"
Middle East Peace Process Regional Water Data Banks Project
called "EXACT" is still chugging along, enjoying the strong
support of both donors and the "core parties" Israel, the
Palestinian Authority and Jordan. This is due to dogged
U.S. support from the State Department and the U.S.
Geological Survey and relatively modest financial inputs
from the United States, the EU, Holland, France and other
donors. At the twentieth meeting of EXACT, held in Prague
November 30 - December 2, 2004, the core parties stressed
the importance of the project, praised the efforts of
current donors and welcomed three new donors to the project.
As noted by two core party representatives, EXACT is a
"remarkable" and "amazing" long-term success story in the
Middle East. End summary.

Water Placed Outside Politics
--------------

2. In the early days of the multilateral peace process,
U.S. support catalyzed and facilitated EXACT. EXACT and the
other multilateral water projects are based on agreement
among the core parties that water issues belong outside the
political realm. While the science of the EXACT projects
matters, the practical necessity of continued cooperation
among the parties is the glue that has kept EXACT together
through the ups and downs of its ten-year life. One
delegate said that interactions on water under EXACT have
supported engagement on broader issues, a clear example of
leadership from below.

Core Parties Now Cooperate to Interact with Donors as a Team
-------------- --------------

3. The health of EXACT can be seen in several ways, for
example the methods of interaction. During the initial
years of EXACT, the core parties would meet only with the
United States or another third party present. The core
parties realized, though, that they could be more effective
working as a team, in effect taking charge and appealing as
a group to the donors. So the EXACT "Parliament" was born.
Representatives from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and
Jordan now routinely meet in the region without other
parties present to plan their approach to the EXACT donors.
The commitment to the projects and to EXACT is so strong
that the core party representatives have resisted outside
pressure against their activities by continuing to
participate in projects and meetings. Core parties now
reach out to each other directly and explicitly with
requests for cooperation and assistance.

Substantive Areas Have Expanded
--------------

4. EXACT has also broadened its substantive role.
Originally developed with a specific list of recommendations
related to water data issues, EXACT has grown over the years
to include projects on rainfall, water quality labs, toxic
substances in water, surface and groundwater monitoring
systems and studies on aquifer recharge. See the EXACT
website at www.exact-me.org for more information. A recent
project on rainfall broadened the user group within the core
parties by bringing in the meteorological services to
cooperate with the water ministries, the traditional
interest group in EXACT.

New Donors
--------------

5. EXACT is attracting new donors. At the most recent
EXACT meeting in Prague on November 30 - December 2, the
United Kingdom and Switzerland joined EXACT, and Australia
rejoined after a multi-year hiatus. Other potential new
donors are in the offing. This new blood is the fruit of a
decision last year by the core parties to reach out to new
donors.


6. Comment: U.S. contributions to EXACT have been
relatively modest over the years, averaging no more than $1
million per year. But these contributions along with U.S.
leadership of the EXACT process and financial contributions
of other participating donors have facilitated efforts by
the core parties to develop robust, collegial working
relationships on one of the most sensitive issues in one of
the most contentious areas in the world.


7. This cable has been cleared by USGS and by NEA/REA.

HALE