Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04GUATEMALA162
2004-01-23 18:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:  

GUATEMALA & CAFTA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC SUBMISSION

Tags:  SENV ETRD GT 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000162 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA & CAFTA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC SUBMISSION
PROCESS

REF: SECSTATE 12518

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000162

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA & CAFTA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC SUBMISSION
PROCESS

REF: SECSTATE 12518


1. Embassy learned from GOG that its preference is to have
SIECA (Secretaria de la Integracion Economica
Centroamericana) (a SICA body, as is the CCAD) enforce the
environmental chapter because its members include ONLY the
Central Americans. An office of trade and environment within
SIECA (NAFTA secretariat-like) is the idea. They are not in
favor of CCAD simply because its members include outsiders.
These are currently the DR, which is due to dock with the
CAFTA countries, and Panama. We note that the composition of
the Ministry of Economy is changing with the inauguration of
a new government last week, so its views are subject to
change.


2. We don't know of any taint that will remain with CCAD
from the former executive director's tenure. CCAD currently
has and will have new ministers of environment holding the
president pro tempore position due to post-election cabinet
changes. Guatemala's Minister of Environment has been in
place a week and El Salvdor, which takes over the CCAD in
July, has elections in March.


2. The OAS has many more members than CCAD but has a good
reputation in Guatemala. If it were chosen to handle the
CAFTA public submission process, the GOG could live with it.


3. AID/Guatemala believes CCAD is the appropriate vehicle
for this process and has responded through its own channels
in support of CCAD.
HAMILTON