NORWEGIAN VIEWS ON UPCOMING IWC MEETING

UNCLAS OSLO 000519 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPARTMENT FOR OES/OA JOHN FIELD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL IWC ETRD NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIAN VIEWS ON UPCOMING IWC MEETING REF: STATE 56397 ¶1. (SBU) On May 15 we delivered reftel remarks to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Polar Advisor Karsten Klepsvik. Klepsvik told us that Norway would support the 5-year bowhead whale quota for U.S. and Russia. Klepsvik, however, was amenable to Japan's proposal for Small-type Coastal Whaling provided that it was scientifically justified. Norway's involvement in the IWC Conservation Committee is measured and Klepsvik told us that Norway would not actively push for a change in the committee mandate. ¶2. (SBU) Norwegians see a resolution to the current impasse over the Revised Management Scheme (RMS) as crucial. Without a compromise, which for Norway involves anti-whaling nations accepting at least some commercial whaling, Klepsvik fears for the long-term viability of the IWC. He thanked the U.S. for keeping RMS discussions focused on scientific data and sees the U.S. leadership as crucial to forging a compromise. While not optimistic about prospects for a solution, he stopped short of saying that a continued impasse over the RMS would force Norway to pull out of the IWC altogether. WHITNEY