DEMARCHE REQUEST ON MERCURY ISSUE AT UNEP

UNCLAS OTTAWA 000394

SIPDIS

BRUSSELS FOR USEU, STATE FOR OES/ENV JOHN THOMPSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV AORC ETRD PREL CA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST ON MERCURY ISSUE AT UNEP
GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 18970


1. ESTH Counselor made the demarche requested in reftel to
Environment Canada (EC) and Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC).
Nancy Hamzawi, Director, International Affairs, EC, told us
that Canada looks at the US proposal for partnerships on
mercury very favorably, but is unable at this time to give
any definite response until resource questions have been
clarified in the government's budget. That budget is now
scheduled to be presented on February 23, right during the
middle of the UNEP Governing Council meeting in Nairobi.


2. Hamzawi said that the GOC hopes to do something fairly
substantive to further partnerships on mercury in the UNEP
context. She characterized the GOC as being averse to a
legally binding instrument as favored by some European
countries, favoring the "quick action" possible in a
partnership framework to "endless negotiations" on a legally
binding agreement.


3. The GOC delegation will reportedly be led by EC Director
General for International Affairs, Nicole Ladouceur, and will
include Hamzawi, two officials from FAC and one from Natural
Resources Canada.

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