SOUTH AFRICAN RESPONSE TO THE SECRETARY'S

UNCLAS PRETORIA 003974 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ECON UNGA SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICAN RESPONSE TO THE SECRETARY'S INVITATION TO FOREIGN MINISTERS AT UNGA TO PARTICIPATE IN COALITION AGAINST WILDLIFE TRAFICKING EVENT REF: A. A) STATE 152643 ¶B. B) PRETORIA 3756 ¶1. (U) The Deputy Chief of Mission spoke to Ministry of Foreign Affairs USA Director Jan van Vollenhoven in Pretoria on September 14 and delivered the talking points received in Reftel A earlier that day regarding the Secretary's invitation to Foreign Ministers at UNGA to participate in the Coalition against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) event on September 22. The Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs also contacted van Vollenhoven and provided additional written materials on the same day. Van Vollenhoven promised to forward the information to his superiors. ¶2. (U) Ambassador Bost met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mrs. Sue van der Merwe in Capetown on September 20. The Ambassador mentioned that Assistant Secretary for Oceans, International Environment and Scientific Affairs Claudia McMurray had discussed the CAWT with Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus Van Schalkwyk on the margins of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) meeting in Capetown on August 30 and that Van Schalkwyk had expressed interest in the CAWT (see Reftel B for additional background). The Ambassador then delivered the talking points provided in Reftel A, adding that the Embassy had provided the same information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pretoria and that the date and time of the CAWT event had changed. Van der Merwe said she would follow-up on the invitation. Bost