INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000228 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR OES/OA (JEAN-PIERRE PLE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS SENV LO IWC SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION REF: SECSTATE 26564 ¶1. (SBU) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO HENRIETA BALOGHOVA OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURE AND LANDSCAPE PROTECTION AT THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (MOE). BALOGHOVA RECENTLY ASSUMED HER PORTFOLIO AND COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY COMMENT ON SLOVAKIA'S POSSIBLE MEMBERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC). LATER, SHE REMARKED THAT DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT MEMBERSHIP WOULD SOON BE IN THE INTER-MINISTERIAL REVIEW PROCESS, BUT SHE FEARED THE HIGH ANNUAL FEES WOULD FINALLY DISSUADE GOVERNMENTAL APPROVAL. THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC EXPRESSED INTEREST IN JOINING THE IWC IN THE PAST, HOWEVER THERE HAD BEEN NO NEW MOMENTUM TO MOVE THE APPROVAL PROCESS FORWARD SINCE LAST YEAR. DUE TO THIS DELAY, IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY SLOVAKIA WILL JOIN PRIOR TO THIS YEAR'S MEETING IN SORRENTO. ¶2. (SBU) AN OFFICIAL FROM THE MFA'S DEPARTMENT OF UN SPECIALIZED AGENCIES, WHICH ALSO INFLUENCES INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, STATED GREENPEACE WILL MEET WITH MINISTRY OFFICIALS THE SECOND WEEK OF MARCH. GREENPEACE'S REGIONAL OUTREACH EFFORT IN CENTRAL EUROPE LAST YEAR WAS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND MEMBERS OFTEN MET WITH THE MINISTRIES. HOWEVER, THEIR ACTIVITIES ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF MEMBERS OF THE IWC, WHO VOTE FOR THE RETURN OF COMMERCIAL WHALING. MFA OFFICIALS NOTED THAT JAPANESE EMBASSY OFFICIALS WERE ACTIVE LOBBYISTS LAST YEAR AGAINST SLOVAKIA JOINING THE IWC. THAYER NNNN