COSTA RICA: SAICM DEMARCHE DELIVERED

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000197

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DAVID BROWN (OES/ENV)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD ECON PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: SAICM DEMARCHE DELIVERED

REF: STATE 011460


1. Requested demarche on the February 4-6 International
Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM) and the Strategic
Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was
delivered on January 27 to Enid Chaverri, the Environment
Ministry's Acting Director of the Office for International
Cooperation. Chaverri said that Costa Rica intended to
coordinate its positions on the issues raised with other
countries through GRULAC. Chaverri described herself as a
believer in SAICM to manage the multiplicity of international
agreements related to chemicals management and their
occasional contradictions (eg., ozone and climate change).
In practical terms, she looked to SAICM to address the
transversal themes that occur within these many international
conventions; provide a common direction for the manner in
which they are to be implemented; and ground actions to be
taken under these agreements. She flagged the challenge
facing Costa Rica's Environment Ministry, a "green-issue"
organization new to the chemical management agenda, to
prevail on the Ministries of Health and Agriculture,
traditional managers of Costa Rican policy on chemicals, to
take on the board the approaches developed through SAICM.
With regard to specific points raised in the demarche:

-- Costa Rica will follow GRULAC's lead on the choice of
texts to be negotiated - a discussion which has yet to occur.
Chaverri undertook to review Overarching Policy Strategy
paragraphs 14(d) and 15(c).

-- Precaution and scope: Chaverri opined that most
participants would not expect SAICM to produce an agreement
that would seek to reopen or alter obligations incurred under
other agreements. In her view, most would look instead to
SAIC to promote harmony in the implementation of the numerous
(and occasionally inconsistent) agreements.

-- Savings clause: Chaverri had no immediate reaction to
this point.

-- Global Plan of Action (GPA): Chaverri described
differences over the GPA as a cultural matter, with some
countries feeling compelled to seek recognition for their
perceived needs by placing them on the record. Although as
yet there is no Costa Rican position on the point, her
personal assessment is that the GPA is more of a toolkit than
a strategy, and that the situation is so different country to
country that it could not serve well as a strategy. The
document and its purposes may well change through additional
discussion.


2. Ms Chaverri will be accompanied to SAICM by Costa Rica's
Customs Laboratory Director. Note: Chaverri supervises
Ronald Vargas, one of two regional co-points of contact for
the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade
Areement (CAFTA-DR) and the related Environmental Cooperation
Agreement. End note.
LANGDALE