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