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.

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