Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08COPENHAGEN348
2008-06-16 11:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Copenhagen
Cable title:
DANES SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. IWC WHALING PROPOSALS
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UNCLAS COPENHAGEN 000348
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
EMBASSY SANTIAGO PLEASE PASS TO OES:JOHN FIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL IWC ETRD DA
SUBJECT: DANES SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. IWC WHALING PROPOSALS
REF: STATE 57319
UNCLAS COPENHAGEN 000348
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
EMBASSY SANTIAGO PLEASE PASS TO OES:JOHN FIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL IWC ETRD DA
SUBJECT: DANES SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. IWC WHALING PROPOSALS
REF: STATE 57319
1. (SBU) Summary: The Danish government is supportive of the IWC
Chair's recommendations and plan of action, and recommends
incorporating a mix of geographic and 'ideological' balance in the
small working group to develop a possible package of initiatives.
The Danes also support procedural improvements for the IWC, and
concur that the ramification of any alternative language to
"aboriginal subsistence whaling" be carefully considered. FM
Moeller has publicly committed Denmark's support for a moratorium on
whaling in the South Atlantic. End Summary.
2. (U) PolOff presented reftel demarche including U.S. priorities
for the upcoming IWC meeting in Santiago, Chile June 23-27 to
Christen Krogh, Head of Section, Department for Nordic Cooperation,
the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the Danish MFA. Denmark's IWC
commissioner, Ole Samsing, is based in Brussels and will not be
visiting Copenhagen prior to the Santiago meetings. In the interim,
however, we have received Samsing's written responses to our
questions, which are reproduced in para four, below.
3. (U) Danish Foreign Minister Moeller told the press on June 12
that Denmark would vote in favor of a whaling moratorium in the
South Atlantic. FM Moeller acknowledged that such a measure would
be largely symbolic, since no whaling currently occurs there.
Moeller said Denmark would continue to support whaling based on Qa
scientific and sustainable foundationQ as occurs in Greenland and
the Faroe Islands.
4. (SBU) Danish IWC Commissioner's responses to U.S. questions:
Q. The Chair's recommendations and plans for the future of the IWC
are posted on the Commission's website. The United States support
these. What are your impressions of the recommended course of
action between now and the 2009 annual meeting?
A. We will be able to support the proposed course of action (i.e.
to appoint a group to prepare a spring meeting). We can furthermore
endorse that the Chair is trying to push the matter to a solution
already next year Q a solution is very much overdue.
Q. If the Commission establishes a small working group to assemble
a package of policy solutions for 2009, what sort of representation
should the group have? What minimum size working group would be
appropriate?
A: It is of paramount importance that the extreme sides in the IWC
are represented (i.e. for example Australia and Japan),but it is
also important that countries in the middle of the organisation are
represented, because they will try to be build bridges. Denmark is
such a country Q Sweden also. Then the group should also have a
representative from Latin America, Africa and Europe (other than
Denmark Q because Denmark is not part of the common EU-position on
whaling).
Q: Outside experts and Commissioners have suggested a number of
procedural improvements for the IWC (these are posted on the IWC
website from the March intercessional). What, if any, changes would
you like to see in the way the IWC conducts business?
A: The chair's proposal also contains provisions relating to the
good conduct of member states in the IWC and we can of course
support them. Polite and diplomatic language does not harm anyone,
but will be a novelty in the IWC.
Q: The U.S. is opposed to advancing any new terminology to
substitute for "aboriginal subsistence whaling" until the
ramifications are better understood. What is your position on this
proposed change?
A: We will, like USA, want to understand new wording very well
before we might take a decision on this matter.
CAIN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
EMBASSY SANTIAGO PLEASE PASS TO OES:JOHN FIELD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL IWC ETRD DA
SUBJECT: DANES SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. IWC WHALING PROPOSALS
REF: STATE 57319
1. (SBU) Summary: The Danish government is supportive of the IWC
Chair's recommendations and plan of action, and recommends
incorporating a mix of geographic and 'ideological' balance in the
small working group to develop a possible package of initiatives.
The Danes also support procedural improvements for the IWC, and
concur that the ramification of any alternative language to
"aboriginal subsistence whaling" be carefully considered. FM
Moeller has publicly committed Denmark's support for a moratorium on
whaling in the South Atlantic. End Summary.
2. (U) PolOff presented reftel demarche including U.S. priorities
for the upcoming IWC meeting in Santiago, Chile June 23-27 to
Christen Krogh, Head of Section, Department for Nordic Cooperation,
the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the Danish MFA. Denmark's IWC
commissioner, Ole Samsing, is based in Brussels and will not be
visiting Copenhagen prior to the Santiago meetings. In the interim,
however, we have received Samsing's written responses to our
questions, which are reproduced in para four, below.
3. (U) Danish Foreign Minister Moeller told the press on June 12
that Denmark would vote in favor of a whaling moratorium in the
South Atlantic. FM Moeller acknowledged that such a measure would
be largely symbolic, since no whaling currently occurs there.
Moeller said Denmark would continue to support whaling based on Qa
scientific and sustainable foundationQ as occurs in Greenland and
the Faroe Islands.
4. (SBU) Danish IWC Commissioner's responses to U.S. questions:
Q. The Chair's recommendations and plans for the future of the IWC
are posted on the Commission's website. The United States support
these. What are your impressions of the recommended course of
action between now and the 2009 annual meeting?
A. We will be able to support the proposed course of action (i.e.
to appoint a group to prepare a spring meeting). We can furthermore
endorse that the Chair is trying to push the matter to a solution
already next year Q a solution is very much overdue.
Q. If the Commission establishes a small working group to assemble
a package of policy solutions for 2009, what sort of representation
should the group have? What minimum size working group would be
appropriate?
A: It is of paramount importance that the extreme sides in the IWC
are represented (i.e. for example Australia and Japan),but it is
also important that countries in the middle of the organisation are
represented, because they will try to be build bridges. Denmark is
such a country Q Sweden also. Then the group should also have a
representative from Latin America, Africa and Europe (other than
Denmark Q because Denmark is not part of the common EU-position on
whaling).
Q: Outside experts and Commissioners have suggested a number of
procedural improvements for the IWC (these are posted on the IWC
website from the March intercessional). What, if any, changes would
you like to see in the way the IWC conducts business?
A: The chair's proposal also contains provisions relating to the
good conduct of member states in the IWC and we can of course
support them. Polite and diplomatic language does not harm anyone,
but will be a novelty in the IWC.
Q: The U.S. is opposed to advancing any new terminology to
substitute for "aboriginal subsistence whaling" until the
ramifications are better understood. What is your position on this
proposed change?
A: We will, like USA, want to understand new wording very well
before we might take a decision on this matter.
CAIN