ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS

1. (SBU) Summary: Israeli and Palestinian officials met in
Helsinki February 10 and agreed to reactivate the Joint
Environmental Experts Committee (EEC) established under the
1995 Interim Agreement. The EEC will meet in Jerusalem May


2. The two sides also agreed to cooperate on disposition of
hazardous waste and construction debris and related capacity
building. The Helsinki meeting was convened by UNEP with
the support of the Government of Finland. Israeli officials
who attended the Helsinki meeting are optimistic that the
UNEP Governing Council will support continuation of
activities under the UNEP Desk Study, in the spirit of
cooperation evidenced in Helsinki. The Israeli-Palestinian
meeting followed a February 7-9 UNEP Capacity Building
Seminar on Hazardous Waste in the Middle East attended by
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority. End
summary.



2. (SBU) GOI MFA and Environment Ministry officials reported
to ESTH Officer that their meetings with Palestinian
counterparts in Helsinki February 10 resulted in agreement
to reactivate the Joint Environmental Experts Committee
(EEC) under the 1995 Interim Agreement. According to an MFA
participant, the EEC last met more than four years ago. The
EEC will meet in Jerusalem May 2, but meetings and
cooperation on specific issues will likely move forward
before then. The Helsinki meeting took place under the
aegis of the U.N. Environmental Program Desk Study on the
Palestinian Territories. Among other recommendations, the
Desk Study had sought reactivation of the experts meetings
established by the Oslo accords.



3. (SBU) In Helsinki, the two sides also agreed to work
jointly and with the support of UNEP on capacity building in
solid and hazardous waste disposal. They will furthermore
cooperate on disposal of used tires and construction debris.
The bilateral meeting followed a Capacity Building Seminar
on Hazardous Waste in the Middle East in Helsinki February 7-
9 organized by UNEP and the Government of Finland attended
by delegations from Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the
Palestinian Authority.



4. (SBU) Comment: The revival of the EEC is much-needed
good news in the Israeli-Palestinian environmental arena,
where numerous pressing issues have been ignored in recent
years. The MFA participant in Helsinki told ESTH Officer he
is optimistic that the UNEP Governing Council, meeting in
Nairobi February 21-25, will approve continuing activities
under the UNEP Desk Study in the same harmonious spirit
evidenced in Helsinki.

KURTZER