ARGENTINA: FINAL NEGOTIATIONS ON STRATEGIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000228

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

OES/ENV FOR DAVID BROWN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2020
TAGS: SENV ECON ETRD PGOV PREL AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: FINAL NEGOTIATIONS ON STRATEGIC
APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT (SAICM)

REF: SECSTATE 11460

Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez, Reasons 1.4 B, D


1. (U) ESTHOFF delivered demarche points in reftel to
Argentine MFA Environmental Counselor Miguel Hildmann, and,
in a separate meeting, to Ministry of Health (MOH)Secretariat
of the Environment officials Pablo Issaly and Lorenzo Videla
on January 27, 2006. Both Hildmann and Issaly attended the
September SAICM PrepCom3 meeting in Vienna.


2. (U) Hildmann told ESTHOFF that he will be the chief
negotiator for the Argentine delegation at the upcoming
meeting in Dubai, which will consist of Subsecretary of the
Environment Luis Couyoupetrou, Secretary of Embassy Gonzalo
Intenza, Issaly, and Norma Nudelman, an advisor from the
University of Buenos Aires.


3. (C) Of particular concern to both MFA's Hildmann and
MOH's Issaly was the Annex IV package compromise proposal
that resulted from the Vienna meeting. Hildmann launched
into a discussion of this topic immediately with ESTHOFF.
Although his tone was cordial, he felt Annex IV was created
by the USG and EU delegations at the eleventh hour without
sufficient input from the rest of the G-77 nations, which he
termed a "mistake." He told ESTHOFF that Argentina felt
excluded from the decision and was not satisfied with the
context of Annex IV.


4. (C) Hildmann said the GOA does not want to create a new
organization as a result of SAICM. He is concerned that EU
delegates plan to use SAICM to "destroy" the existing
International Forum of Chemical Safety (IFCS),which the GOA
wants to preserve. He added that the GOA favors better use
of the existing international forums, does not want to create
new financial commitments and feels this position is
consistent with the USG view. He noted that Argentina pays
more in UN assessments than 16 developed countries.


5. (C) Hildmann stated that the GOA supports the text agreed
upon in Vienna as a base for negotiation as opposed to any
rewording by the SAICM President. However, Issaly defended
the changes as necessary in such areas as scheduling future
meetings. He added that he feels there are too many brackets
in important sections such as finances and that he expects
"heavy discussion" in these areas.


6. (C) Hildmann said that Argentina does not believe it is
necessary to reinterpret or expand upon the precaution
standard and supports the general USG position. However, he
said that the EU interpretation is "not terrible for
Argentina" and Argentina will not oppose a consensus
viewpoint that favors the EU proposal. In contrast, both
Issaly and Videla strongly felt the precaution principle
defined in Rio should not be reinterpreted at the SAICM
meeting.


7. (C) Hildmann felt the scope of the agreement should not
exclude food additives and pharmaceuticals, but acknowledged
that they have a separate regulatory structure. He was
unsure as to what form the wording should take and requested
an informal side meeting in Dubai with the USG delegation to
work out a consensus on the final wording. He emphasized
that he did not want this discussion to take place at the
plenary session. Issaly believed the SAICM President
attempted to support the USG position with the changes she
made. MOH's Videla said any SAICM agreement should stress
that food additives and pharmaceuticals were already being
regulated by public health sectors and should not be included
in SAICM.


8. (U) Hildmann told ESTHOFF that although the USG
philosophy on the savings clause sounded acceptable, he would
like more information on the USG proposal, such as the actual
text of the clause.


9. (C) In Hildmann's opinion, adopting the Global Plan of
Action, (GPA),is the easiest way to prevent SAICM from being
only a political declaration. However, he asked for more
information on an alternative USG proposal for the GPA. He
said SAICM should be considered an informal and non-binding
mechanism. Issaly and Videla concurred, adding that they
didn't support using SAICM as a vehicle for re-interpreting
international agreements. Issaly said that he supported
adopting in the GPA only items on which there is a total
consensus. All other areas in the GPA should be "working
areas" for future meetings.


10. (C) On several occasions, Hildmann emphasized his support
for the existing IFCS and said that he felt the USG should
support IFCS. He said he did not want to create a new

bureaucracy with the SAICM process and was interested in the
USG vision of the future structure of SAICM, especially on
such issues as governance and meeting schedules.


11. (C) Hildmann said he does not fully support the SAICM
process and wants USG support instead for the continued
viability of the IFCS. At one point he told ESTHOFF that if
SAICM died, he would be "the first to celebrate." He was
also concerned the USG would interpret the Argentine position
as hostile. He told ESTHOFF that the GOA is "not the enemy"
in this process and that the USG should not perceive the GOA
as being on the opposite side. He is interested in talking
with USG representatives and believes they can find a
compromise solution to most issues.


12. (C) Comment: Both MFA's Hildmann and MOH's Issaly
expressed dismay at the GOA's perceived exclusion from
deliberations on the Annex IV package compromise proposal in
Vienna and, since food additives and pharmaceuticals were
excluded in Annex IV, this may be a factor in Hildmann's
insistence on the discussion of food additives and
pharmaceuticals in SAICM. Both Hildmann and Issaly expressed
concern over future Argentine financial commitments. Note
that Hildmann will transfer to Paris to serve as a member of
the Argentine delegation to UNESCO shortly after the Dubai
conference. Post believes that most of the differences
between the MOH and MFA viewpoints will be resolved by the
time of the Dubai conference. Since the MFA's Hildmann will
be the chief negotiator, the final position is more likely to
resemble the MFA position stated in this cable. End Comment.
GUTIERREZ