BELGIUM: CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSION WITH EU MEMBER

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001295 SIPDIS OES/EGC:WMOORE, EUR:MBEH & SPARKER-BURNS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG TRGY EUN SUBJECT: BELGIUM: CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSION WITH EU MEMBER STATES IN PREPARATION FOR OCTOBER EU COUNCILS AND MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS DEMARCHE DELIVERED REF: STATE 97542 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Richard Eason for reasons 1 .4 (b) and (d) (C) Poloff and Polintern delivered the points on the U.S. position on current climate change negotiations to Chris Vanden Bilcke, Belgian Federal Public Service Director of Environment Policy and Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 22. Bilcke said that he would be attending the COP15 in December, representing Belgium. Bilcke said that Belgium's position is closely aligned to the U.S on climate change. He commented that the verbiage was meticulously worded. He said that for Belgium, the main issue is to work with major developing countries. Bilcke said that he was interested in having more contact with the U.S. Embassy Brussels in climate change and other areas. He downplayed any U.S.-E.U. friction over commitments for carbon dioxide reduction. He said that the recent positive steps in the U.S.-Russia relationship were important to energy and sustainable development. GUTMAN .