GERMAN QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE COALITION AGAINST

UNCLAS BERLIN 003023 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON SENV GM SUBJECT: GERMAN QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE COALITION AGAINST WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING REF: STATE 171694 ¶1. (SBU) Global Affairs Counselor presented Reftel demarche October 17 to Ambassador Hermann Sausen, MFA Commissioner for Environmental and Biopolitical Issues. Drawing on Reftel points, GA Counselor reiterated our interest in Germany becoming a full partner in the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT). GA Counselor also clarified our position that the CAWT is not a formal, legal entity, that there are no dues or fees associated with membership, that the CAWT has no link to the Global War on Terrorism and that the anti-trafficking measures envisioned in the context of CAWT would not affect existing legal trade in wildlife products. ¶2. (SBU) Sausen expressed his gratitude for the clarification, noting that there had been uncertainty within the German Government concerning the structure of CAWT. He was also interested in our assurance that legal trade in wildlife products would not be affected by the CAWT's antitrafficking efforts. Sausen indicated he had not been aware of any misunderstanding about the relationship between CAWT and USG counterterrorism measures. It was clear to the German Government, he said, that this inititive was not connected to ongoing counterterrorism programs. ¶3. (SBU) Sausen reiterated Germany's interest in becoming a CAWT partner. He noted that the issue of Germany's participation in CAWT is currently being considered in the German interagency community, with representatives of the MFA, the Finance Ministry and the Environment Ministry participating. Sausen undertook to pass on our clarifications to relevant representatives of other interested ministries and to keep us apprised of developments in the German policy-making process. KOENIG