IATTC: USG AND EC MAKE JOINT DEMARCHE OVER GOC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000545 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR OES/OMC DHOGAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS PHSA SENV PGOV PREL CO SUBJECT: IATTC: USG AND EC MAKE JOINT DEMARCHE OVER GOC TUNA POLICY REF: HOGAN/GUMBINER EMAIL 1/29/09 ¶1. (U) Summary. On February 17, EconOff and the European Commission Political/Economic Counselor Gonzalo Fournier, discussed the GOC's position toward the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) with Carlos Robles, Director of Fishing at the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The impetus for the joint demarche was a December 2008 MOA Resolution on tuna conservation measures that walked-back from the GOC position presented to the IATTC working group in La Jolla. Robles expressed surprise at the joint demarche, as he thought that the GOC represented itself well in La Jolla, and said he would discuss the issue with MOA Minister Fernandez later this week. Robles also advised that the GOC will not be able to host the next IATTC meeting due to financial concerns. End Summary. ¶2. (U) USG Position: EconOff passed Robles a non-paper with the points listed in reftel email, stating that the USG had welcomed the GOC proposal in La Jolla but questioned the MOA's decision to later alter that proposal. EconOff noted that other GOC working group members (i.e. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of Commerce) told post that the GOC agreed to set a 61 day individual vessel closure and an 84 day closure for the Corralito area to the west of the Galapagos, amongst other issues. However, the MOA's December Resolution set a 49 day individual closure for big vessels, 30 days for middle-sized and small vessels, and no closure measures for the Corralito area. EconOff highlighted that the Ambassador might raise this issue during his up-coming meeting with new Minister of Agriculture Andres Fernandez on February 25. ¶3. (SBU) European Commission Position: Fournier stated that Brussels had never instructed him to do a stronger demarche. He said the EC's Fishing Directorate was upset that the GOC continued to hinder IATTC negotiations and is considering listing Colombia as a non-party country. He noted several times that the GOC needs to comply with IATTC policy, especially as the IATTC is one of twelve conventions that the GOC must comply with before the Colombia-EU Free Trade Agreement can be signed. He added that the EC questioned why the GOC desired to be an IATTC member, given its lack of respect for the IATTC's decision-making process and conservation intent. Robles said this demarche was very similar to the one he gave to the MOA before La Jolla, albeit with a stronger tone. ¶4. (SBU) MOA Response: Robles responded that the MOA issued its December resolution due to lack of consensus on the number of closure dates amongst the GOC group after La Jolla. Robles said that the MOA, as the lead GOC organization, decided to keep the same number of closure days as in the 2008 proposal, waiting to address the issue again with the working group at the annual IATTC meeting in June 2009. He said that regardless of the days, the GOC was one of the few countries to make a concrete resolution, which represented progress for them. When questioned about the MOA's lack of consultation on the revised proposal with the other ministries, Robles replied that the MOA's procedures are internal to the GOC and cannot be discussed. (NOTE: Ministry of Environment officials were furious with the MOA action, telling us that the MOA essentially did the bidding of industry without internal consultation. END NOTE.) ¶5. (SBU) Robles said he would speak with Minister Fernandez about this issue as soon as possible, as the GOC did not want to return to being known as the difficult member of the IATTC. Robles said several times that he was surprised by the demarche, as he thought the GOC had made a positive impression in La Jolla, but acknowledged that the MOA predicted USG displeasure about the reduction in closure days. Robles specifically asked to see EconOff again prior to the Ambassador's meeting with the Minister. ¶6. (U) Robles lamented that the GOC, which had tentatively offered to host the June 2009 IATTC meeting, would not be able to do so for financial reasons. BROWNFIELD