DEMARCHE RESPONSE: U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000114 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG EUN SENV PREL LO SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE COOPERATION REF: SECSTATE 24257 ¶1. (SBU) In separate March 12 conversations, we delivered talking points and reftel to Peter Solcansky, Director of the Department of Air Quality at the Ministry of Environment, and Norbert Kurilla, Environmental Attache at the Slovak Permanent Mission in Brussels. Solcansky is the primary GOS technical expert for EU-based emission trading schemes while Kurilla is regarded by business and GOS stakeholders as the person who "actually knows what is going on" at the EU and UN level. Both gave the impression that Slovakia will do little to rock the boat at the upcoming March 13-14 meeting of the European Council. ¶2. (SBU) Solcansky reiterated that Slovakia will uphold the common EU position on mid-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction -- though he had a difficult time specifying what that position was. Solcansky conceded that upcoming UNFCCC negotiations will have to address sectoral issues and said an agreement should address carbon leakage, a major concern for US Steel, which comprises over 30% of CO2 emissions in Slovakia. He said that Slovakia would raise this point during the EC meeting. Kurilla elaborated further on Slovakia's strategy, arguing (correctly) that Slovakia had already reduced CO2 and overall GHG emissions by nearly 35% since 1990, so it had no difficulty signing on to any EU strategy using that year as a benchmark. He added, however, that Slovakia supports the idea of binding targets for major developing countries, and appreciated US flexibility in developing such targets. Kurilla nevertheless left the impression that Slovakia would not voice any opinions on the subject. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Slovakia has little incentive to deviate from the EU mainline on a post-2012 climate change framework, especially with the EC decision on euro adoption for Slovakia looming this spring. Kurilla noted that Slovakia did not raise its voice in the early March ministerial-level working party meetings about EC CO2 standards, even as the Czech Republic and Poland argued strenously that their power systems should receive special exemptions. The GOS also has limited technical capacity and interest at this juncture. Minister of Environment Jaroslav Izak sent to the working party meeting mid-level political surrogates (Tehlar and Solcansky) who cannot speak English and hardly participated. Minister of Economy Lubomir Jahnatek attended the working party sessions, but, in a follow-up conversation with US Steel representatives, he gave the impression that his ministry had concerns about the debate over alternative energy incentive schemes, not about the discussions on EU long-range climate change plans. End Comment. OBSITNIK