Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STATE9168
2007-01-24 21:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:
MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 009168
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV XF MU IS JO KS KWBG JA NL
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 2006
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 009168
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV XF MU IS JO KS KWBG JA NL
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 2006
1. (U) This cable is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please
handle accordingly.
--------------
Summary and Introduction
--------------
2. (U) The Executive Council (ExCouns) of the Middle East
Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) held its nineteenth
meeting in Muscat, December 12, 2006. MEDRC, which was
established by the Middle East peace process Multilateral
Working Group on Water Resources, has its headquarters in
Muscat, Oman, and has been operating continuously since early
1997. Representatives of the U.S., Israeli, Omani,
Jordanian, Japanese, Korean, and Dutch governments, along
with a representative of Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas, constitute MERC's Executive Council. MEDRC's
activities are open to experts and officials from throughout
the Middle East and other parts of the world.
3. (U) In their opening remarks, both MEDRC Director
Quteishat and ExCouns Chairman Sayyid Badr noted that the
meeting marked the tenth anniversary of MEDRC and that MEDRC
had established itself as a well known and respected
desalination research institution. After reviewing the
status of ongoing activities, the main topic of discussion
was the issue of MEDRC's financial situation, which remains
tenuous. Quteishat,s cash flow projections demonstrated
that MEDRC resources would run out in 2007 if no additional
revenues are forthcoming. MEDRC staff reported that serious
discussion with several potential new member governments
continue, with expectations that at least one new member will
join soon. ExCouns members agreed to try to secure
additional funds to cover the deficit that will ensue in 2007
if case no new members join. End Summary and Intro.
--------------
Participants
--------------
4. (U) The following officials participated in the December
12 ExCouns meeting: for Oman, Amb. Sayyid Badr, ExCouns
Chairman and Omani MFA Under Secretary, and Mr. Khalid
Al-Muslahi, Omani MFA; for the U.S., Dr. Charles Lawson,
ExCouns Vice Chairman and NEA Senior Advisor for Science and
Technology and Mr. Kevin Price U.S. Technical Representative
and Bureau of Reclamation; for Israel, Mr. Yaacov Keidar,
Multilateral Coordinator, Israeli MFA, Mr. Yaacov
Hadas-Handelsman, Deputy Director General, Israeli MFA; for
Japan, Mr. Hitoshi Ishizuka, Japanese Embassy Muscat, and
Prof. Totaro Goto, Japanese Technical Representative; for
Korea, Mr. Euy Sang Yoo, Korean Embassy Muscat; for the
Palestinians, Mr. Marwan Abdulhamid, Advisor to President
Mahmoud Abbas; for Jordan, Mr. Fayez Bataineh, Assistant
Secretary General, Jordan Valley Authority; and for The
SIPDIS
Netherlands, Prof. Jan Schippers, Dutch Technical
Representative. MEDRC Director Koussai Quteishat and
Associate Director Shannon McCarthy also participated in the
meeting.
--------------
10 Year Anniversary Noted
--------------
5. (U) At the opening of the meeting, ExCouns Chairman
Sayyid Badr and MEDRC Director Quteishat both noted that as
of this meeting, MEDRC is ten years old. (Note: Founding
members Oman, the U.S., Israel, Japan, and Korea concluded
the international agreement establishing MEDRC on December
22, 1996. End note.) MEDRC arose out of the Middle East
Multilateral peace process Working Group on Water Resources.
Sayyid Badr and Quteishat observed that MEDRC has operated
continuously over the last ten years and commented that, as
STATE 00009168 002 OF 003
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 20
far as they know, MEDRC remains the only regional institution
established under the peace process in operation today.
--------------
Status of Ongoing Activities
--------------
6. (U) Since the June 2006 ExCouns meeting, MEDRC has
awarded five research projects (these were under review at
the time of the June meeting),with several other proposals
still under consideration. The total number of MEDRC
projects awarded since MEDRC began operations now stands at
59, 31 of which have been completed. As a measure of the
high quality and importance of the research MEDRC funds,
Quteishat noted that for the eight month period March-October
2006, final reports of projects have been downloaded from the
website, and software packages developed under MEDRC projects
have been downloaded 917 times. MEDRC's scholarship program
continues to expand, with each of the five new projects
including a Masters or Ph.D. student on the project. To
date, MEDRC has supported ten Masters and fifteen Ph.D.
students. Demand for MEDRC sponsored training courses also
continues to increase. In 2006, MEDRC sponsored eight
training courses in six countries (one in Oman, Bahrain,
Morocco, and Tunisia; and two each in Algeria and Egypt).
Since the training program began in September 2003, MEDRC has
organized 24 training courses, with 876 experts from the
region having participated. Quteishat noted that MEDRC is
organizing its first ever training course in Libya,
co-sponsored by the Libyan Petroleum Institute. The will
take place in February 2007. This meeting will be the first
one under MEDRC sponsorship to be held in Libya.
--------------
Fundraising
--------------
7. (SBU) Associate Director McCarthy reported that MEDRC
still is waiting for Qatar to conclude the agreement to join
MEDRC. (Note: Qatari officials confirmed their intention to
join MEDRC about a year ago, but the government has been slow
to finalize its internal arrangements. End note.) McCarthy
noted that MEDRC also is in various stages of discussion with
Italy, the UAE, Spain, the UK, and Germany. Italy had agreed
to join last year, but with the change of government, that
decision has been put aside for now. Quteishat said that
MEDRC also is interested in Libyan membership, noting that
MEDRC engagement with Libya is increasing. In addition to
the training course MEDRC will sponsor in February 2007
(para. five above),Quteishat noted that two of the MEDRC
scholarship students are Libyan. Lawson urged MEDRC to
continue engaging with Libya through training courses and the
like but cautioned that the GOL is likely to take its time
before making any decision to join.
8. (U) Quteishat reported that he and the Dutch ExCouns
member continue to talk with the European Commission about
securing funds for projects. (Note. The EC was a founding
supporter of MEDRC. In 2004, it unexpectedly pulled out of
MEDRC and left an unfulfilled commitment of 2 million Euros.
End note.) MEDRC hopes to submit a project proposal to the
Commission in the near future.
--------------
Financial Update
--------------
9. (SBU) In reviewing MEDRC's financial situation, Quteishat
emphasized that MEDRC's funding situation is remains
critical. Quteishat reported that cash flow forecast for
2007 show that if no additional funds are received, MEDRC
would end 2007 with a deficit of $1.72 million. While there
is a good chance that Qatar with join MEDRC in 2007, ExCouns
members Oman, the U.S., Japan, Israel, Korea, and The
Netherlands agreed to try to secure additional funds from
their own sources to cover the deficit, in case there are no
new members in 2007.
--------------
STATE 00009168 003 OF 003
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 20
Comments
--------------
10. (SBU) While the prospects appear good that Qatar will
conclude arrangements to join MEDRC in 2007, concluding those
arrangements as soon as possible is more critical than ever
(those arrangements include a commitment by Qatar to provide
$3 million to MEDRC). Having current ExCouns member
governments contribute additional funds in 2007 even if Qatar
does join, will help ease the financial crunch in the short
term. For the longer term, a steady stream of new
contributions - either from existing members or from new
members joining - will be needed to assure MEDRC's sustained
existence.
11. Tripoli minimize considered.
RICE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV XF MU IS JO KS KWBG JA NL
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 2006
1. (U) This cable is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please
handle accordingly.
--------------
Summary and Introduction
--------------
2. (U) The Executive Council (ExCouns) of the Middle East
Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) held its nineteenth
meeting in Muscat, December 12, 2006. MEDRC, which was
established by the Middle East peace process Multilateral
Working Group on Water Resources, has its headquarters in
Muscat, Oman, and has been operating continuously since early
1997. Representatives of the U.S., Israeli, Omani,
Jordanian, Japanese, Korean, and Dutch governments, along
with a representative of Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas, constitute MERC's Executive Council. MEDRC's
activities are open to experts and officials from throughout
the Middle East and other parts of the world.
3. (U) In their opening remarks, both MEDRC Director
Quteishat and ExCouns Chairman Sayyid Badr noted that the
meeting marked the tenth anniversary of MEDRC and that MEDRC
had established itself as a well known and respected
desalination research institution. After reviewing the
status of ongoing activities, the main topic of discussion
was the issue of MEDRC's financial situation, which remains
tenuous. Quteishat,s cash flow projections demonstrated
that MEDRC resources would run out in 2007 if no additional
revenues are forthcoming. MEDRC staff reported that serious
discussion with several potential new member governments
continue, with expectations that at least one new member will
join soon. ExCouns members agreed to try to secure
additional funds to cover the deficit that will ensue in 2007
if case no new members join. End Summary and Intro.
--------------
Participants
--------------
4. (U) The following officials participated in the December
12 ExCouns meeting: for Oman, Amb. Sayyid Badr, ExCouns
Chairman and Omani MFA Under Secretary, and Mr. Khalid
Al-Muslahi, Omani MFA; for the U.S., Dr. Charles Lawson,
ExCouns Vice Chairman and NEA Senior Advisor for Science and
Technology and Mr. Kevin Price U.S. Technical Representative
and Bureau of Reclamation; for Israel, Mr. Yaacov Keidar,
Multilateral Coordinator, Israeli MFA, Mr. Yaacov
Hadas-Handelsman, Deputy Director General, Israeli MFA; for
Japan, Mr. Hitoshi Ishizuka, Japanese Embassy Muscat, and
Prof. Totaro Goto, Japanese Technical Representative; for
Korea, Mr. Euy Sang Yoo, Korean Embassy Muscat; for the
Palestinians, Mr. Marwan Abdulhamid, Advisor to President
Mahmoud Abbas; for Jordan, Mr. Fayez Bataineh, Assistant
Secretary General, Jordan Valley Authority; and for The
SIPDIS
Netherlands, Prof. Jan Schippers, Dutch Technical
Representative. MEDRC Director Koussai Quteishat and
Associate Director Shannon McCarthy also participated in the
meeting.
--------------
10 Year Anniversary Noted
--------------
5. (U) At the opening of the meeting, ExCouns Chairman
Sayyid Badr and MEDRC Director Quteishat both noted that as
of this meeting, MEDRC is ten years old. (Note: Founding
members Oman, the U.S., Israel, Japan, and Korea concluded
the international agreement establishing MEDRC on December
22, 1996. End note.) MEDRC arose out of the Middle East
Multilateral peace process Working Group on Water Resources.
Sayyid Badr and Quteishat observed that MEDRC has operated
continuously over the last ten years and commented that, as
STATE 00009168 002 OF 003
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 20
far as they know, MEDRC remains the only regional institution
established under the peace process in operation today.
--------------
Status of Ongoing Activities
--------------
6. (U) Since the June 2006 ExCouns meeting, MEDRC has
awarded five research projects (these were under review at
the time of the June meeting),with several other proposals
still under consideration. The total number of MEDRC
projects awarded since MEDRC began operations now stands at
59, 31 of which have been completed. As a measure of the
high quality and importance of the research MEDRC funds,
Quteishat noted that for the eight month period March-October
2006, final reports of projects have been downloaded from the
website, and software packages developed under MEDRC projects
have been downloaded 917 times. MEDRC's scholarship program
continues to expand, with each of the five new projects
including a Masters or Ph.D. student on the project. To
date, MEDRC has supported ten Masters and fifteen Ph.D.
students. Demand for MEDRC sponsored training courses also
continues to increase. In 2006, MEDRC sponsored eight
training courses in six countries (one in Oman, Bahrain,
Morocco, and Tunisia; and two each in Algeria and Egypt).
Since the training program began in September 2003, MEDRC has
organized 24 training courses, with 876 experts from the
region having participated. Quteishat noted that MEDRC is
organizing its first ever training course in Libya,
co-sponsored by the Libyan Petroleum Institute. The will
take place in February 2007. This meeting will be the first
one under MEDRC sponsorship to be held in Libya.
--------------
Fundraising
--------------
7. (SBU) Associate Director McCarthy reported that MEDRC
still is waiting for Qatar to conclude the agreement to join
MEDRC. (Note: Qatari officials confirmed their intention to
join MEDRC about a year ago, but the government has been slow
to finalize its internal arrangements. End note.) McCarthy
noted that MEDRC also is in various stages of discussion with
Italy, the UAE, Spain, the UK, and Germany. Italy had agreed
to join last year, but with the change of government, that
decision has been put aside for now. Quteishat said that
MEDRC also is interested in Libyan membership, noting that
MEDRC engagement with Libya is increasing. In addition to
the training course MEDRC will sponsor in February 2007
(para. five above),Quteishat noted that two of the MEDRC
scholarship students are Libyan. Lawson urged MEDRC to
continue engaging with Libya through training courses and the
like but cautioned that the GOL is likely to take its time
before making any decision to join.
8. (U) Quteishat reported that he and the Dutch ExCouns
member continue to talk with the European Commission about
securing funds for projects. (Note. The EC was a founding
supporter of MEDRC. In 2004, it unexpectedly pulled out of
MEDRC and left an unfulfilled commitment of 2 million Euros.
End note.) MEDRC hopes to submit a project proposal to the
Commission in the near future.
--------------
Financial Update
--------------
9. (SBU) In reviewing MEDRC's financial situation, Quteishat
emphasized that MEDRC's funding situation is remains
critical. Quteishat reported that cash flow forecast for
2007 show that if no additional funds are received, MEDRC
would end 2007 with a deficit of $1.72 million. While there
is a good chance that Qatar with join MEDRC in 2007, ExCouns
members Oman, the U.S., Japan, Israel, Korea, and The
Netherlands agreed to try to secure additional funds from
their own sources to cover the deficit, in case there are no
new members in 2007.
--------------
STATE 00009168 003 OF 003
SUBJECT: MEPP: MIDDLE EAST MULTILATERAL WORKING GROUP ON
WATER RESOURCES - EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE MIDDLE
EAST DESALINATION RESEARCH CENTER, DECEMBER 12, 20
Comments
--------------
10. (SBU) While the prospects appear good that Qatar will
conclude arrangements to join MEDRC in 2007, concluding those
arrangements as soon as possible is more critical than ever
(those arrangements include a commitment by Qatar to provide
$3 million to MEDRC). Having current ExCouns member
governments contribute additional funds in 2007 even if Qatar
does join, will help ease the financial crunch in the short
term. For the longer term, a steady stream of new
contributions - either from existing members or from new
members joining - will be needed to assure MEDRC's sustained
existence.
11. Tripoli minimize considered.
RICE