CLIMATE CHANGE: OUTREACH TO BELGIUM ON POZNAN

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 001748 SENSITIVE SIPDIS OES/EGC FOR E. FENDLEY EUR/PGI FOR D. TESSLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV BE SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE: OUTREACH TO BELGIUM ON POZNAN CONFERENCE REF: STATE 119282 ¶1. In separate meetings on November 14 with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Economic officer shared reftel points regarding the December Poznan UN climate change conference, focusing on the firm U.S. commitment to success in Copenhagen, and on the need for Poznan interlocutors to recognize that any demands placed on the United States while it transitions from the Bush to the Obama administration would be counterproductive and only hinder progress towards a shared US-EU goal of a successful outcome in Copenhagen. ¶2. Ulrik Lenaerts, attache for environment and sustainable development in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Peter Wittoeck and Geert Fremout of Belgium's Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment Ministry's Climate Change section, told econoff separately they realized that the change in administrations in the US would inhibit the United States from putting forward new positions at Poznan. But they also hoped the US will be able to quickly engage in serious work plan discussions by the spring of 2009. The Belgian officials indicated they understood the U.S. position that developing countries also must reduce emissions, and pointed to the EU Environment Council's October 20 press statement language (mentioned in reftel) that suggested developing countries also need to reduce emissions. ¶3. All three officials will be part of Belgium's delegation to Poznan, which they estimated would have about 30 members. BUSH .