Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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07LISBON3194 | 2007-12-20 14:53:00 | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | Embassy Lisbon |
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LISBON 003194 |
1. (C/NF) Fausto Brito e Abreu (protect), Advisor to Portugal,s Secretary of State for Environment Humberto Rosa, told post the EU was delighted with the final Bali text as a starting point for negotiations. He said the EU never would have imagined that, following the Major Economies Meeting in Washington, DC, in September, the United States would have signed a document even resembling the Bali Action Plan three months later. He told us the EU was pleased both at how the U.S. had engaged towards the end in Bali and that Washington had not closed the door to setting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets. In the end, the meeting was a success for everyone, as all participants had been required to "cut off a finger" to achieve some of their key objectives. He was critical of Indonesia's organization of the event and expressed some EU discomfort with the frequency and agenda of the scheduled Major Economies Meetings (MEM) as well as U.S. dominance of process. End Summary. Dropping Specific Targets -------------------------- 2. (C/NF) Brito e Abreu (protect) said one of the EU's main objectives for the Bali Climate Change Conference was to have the USG more engaged in the UN process. He acknowledged the difficulty of bringing three divergent views into line -- with the EU mandate to engage the USG, USG insistence on inclusion of major developing nations, and the G-77 and China call to put the onus on developed nations. Since the USG would not accept mid-term goals that did not include major developing nations, and the G-77 and China would not accept long-term goals without a USG commitment to mid-term goals, the EU determined early on to drop specific reference to quantifiable targets, Brito e Abreu (protect) said. However, it took three days to coordinate internally and overcome the objections of France, which was apparently the lone hold-out. 3. (C/NF) Note: The EU found itself having to overcome the media's negative reporting of the EU's "cave-in" on targets, Brito e Abreu noted. In an effort to be transparent, the EU had provided the press with its initial draft text. The press played all subsequent revisions to the text as a loss for the EU despite its expressed satisfaction with the final document, he said. He added that the EU was comfortable with the footnote reference to recommended targets, and that despite dropping specific targets from the final text, the EU would continue its efforts to convince the USG to accept the validity of targets. End Note. Applying Media Pressure -------------------------- 4. (C/NF) Brito e Abreu noted two instances when the EU was able to engage the media to its advantage. He said the EU and many other nations were dismayed by the USG's lack of engagement during initial negotiations in Bali. He said the USG delegation "just sat there and didn't say anything" while many other countries presented their proposals and offered their opinions. Further discouraged by the USG's apparent continued relunctance to participate in later discussions, he said, the EU decided to engage the media, accusing the USG of refusing to demonstrate leadership. While this might have ratcheted up the pressure on the USG, it did not result in the desired outcome, he said. 5. (C/NF) Due to continuing differences between the U.S. and LISBON 00003194 002.2 OF 003 other delegations, Brito and Abreu said, the EU decided to step up the pressure even further to move towards an agreement. According to Brito e Abreu, the EU decided to go for the USG's "soft spot" -- the Major Economies Meeting (MEM). Having heard rumblings throughout the Bali meetings, Portugal coordinated internally with EU member-states as well as with China, India, South Africa and Brazil to gauge their thoughts on the usefulness of the MEM process minus a Bali agreement. In a carefully worded statement, Rosa noted that it did not make sense to have a MEM in January if nations could not agree to a roadmap in Bali. According to Brito e Abreu, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel's comment regarding a boycott was entirely his own and did not reflect Portuguese thinking. 6. (C/NF) According to Brito e Abreu, this is the tactic that broke the logjam. Despite the confusion during the final plenary on December 15, Brito e Abreu said all parties acheived most of their objectives even if everyone "had to cut off a finger" to get there. In addition to greater USG engagement, the EU was pleased with the building blocks outlined in the text on mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing. Back-Up Plan for Success - Just in Case -------------------------- 7. (C/NF) Brito e Abreu noted that the EU had come prepared with a back-up plan to declare the Bali talks a success in the event that agreement on a text could not be reached. In that instance, the EU planned to highlight enhanced action on adaptation, including the "one country/one vote" victory for developing nations on Adaptation Fund spending and "fast-track approval" for small forestry projects to increase allowable acreage. Critical of Indonesian Organization -------------------------- 8. (C/NF) Portugal was critical of the Indonesian organization of the Bali Conference, noting that the failure of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate the final plenary session with the Ministry of Environment resulted in confusion and ire on the part of some participants. In particular, the Chinese demanded to know why the plenary had been called while their minister was still conducting negotiations outside the conference hall. According to Brito e Abreu, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer responded by hanging his head, saying he did not know why, and leaving the room visibly upset. Suggestions for Major Economies Meeting Process -------------------------- -- 9. (C/NF) Brito e Abreu noted that the Portuguese would be forwarding the MEM invitation from the U.S. to the Slovenian presidency in preparation for the January meeting in Honolulu. He took the opportunity to express general EU discomfort with the frequency and content of the scheduled meetings as well as U.S. dominance of the process. He recommended two political meetings (vice four) and perhaps several workshops before the summer. He also expressed EU concern that the MEM agenda mimicked the UNFCCC process. He recommended focusing on technology and finance and dropping adaptation and forestry from the agenda. He also mentioned that many in the EU thought that the USG was not familiar with the UNFCCC process and that this unfamiliarity had shown in discussion and correspondence. On the plus side, he noted that the EU anxiously awaited President Bush's announcement of the USG's long-term goal for GHG reduction during the summer MEM Summit. LISBON 00003194 003.2 OF 003 Comment -------------------------- 10. (C/NF) Brito e Abreu's account was certainly self-serving, casting the USG as intransigent and the EU as level-headed. Nonetheless, his account provided useful insights into EU perceptives, tactics and strategy as well as a window into the EU's thinking on the MEM process. His enthusiasm with the results achieved in Bali was genuine and his pleasure at having a "greater engaged" U.S. likely reflects EU sentiment as well. Bio Note -------------------------- 11. (SBU) Fausto Brito e Abreu, born July 21, 1970, has served as advisor to Portugal's Secretary of State for Environment Humberto Rosa since 2005. He is clearly dedicated and very accesible, offering good insight into both Portuguese and EU thinking on environmental issues. He has degrees in science from NYU, the University of Lisbon and Oxford and has worked as a lecturer at Oxford and in financial investment at Goldman Sachs International and Deutsche Bank AG in London. He is also licensed as a commercial pilot and certified in scuba diving. In addition to Portuguese, he speaks English and Spanish fluently and is comfortable in French. Stephenson |