SENEGAL'S POSITON ON USG INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION

UNCLAS DAKAR 001072 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR OES/OA - JFIELD, AF/EPS AND AF/W USDOC FOR NMFA - CHERI MCCARTY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL ETRD IWC SG SUBJECT: SENEGAL'S POSITON ON USG INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION (IWC) PRIORITIES REF: STATE 056397 ¶1. (SBU) Senegal plans to support the U.S. positions on the Bowhead Whale quota and the Conservation Committee, according to Mrs. Ndeye Ticke Ndiaye Diop, Senegal's International Whaling Commissioner and Director of the Maritime Fishing Division of the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Mr. Moustapha Thiam, Assistant Director and Senegal's leading specialist on the IWC and whaling issues. EconOff met with these GOS officials on May 15 to present U.S. priorities for the International Whaling Commission's May 28-31 annual meeting as requested in reftel. Thiam, who will represent Senegal in Anchorage, asserted that Senegal has long supported the U.S. approach and sees no reason to change. He added that the U.S. priorities are reasonable and appear to be based on a scientific approach, which also guide's Senegal's IWC policy. He also agreed that Japan's proposal for small-type coastal whaling should be presented with additional supporting research in order for the Commission to fully and reasonably debate that request. Mrs. Diop reinforced the importance of a scientific approach, but also mentioned that "cultural" considerations need to be included in the debate. ¶2. (U) DCM also demarched Mame Baba Cisse, the Director for Internati8onal Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. JACOBS