SECRETARY CLINTON LETTER TO FOREIGN MINISTER SMITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000951 NOFORN SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/OA BALTON, PHELPS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2019 TAGS: SENV OPDC PREL AS SUBJECT: SECRETARY CLINTON LETTER TO FOREIGN MINISTER SMITH (S/ES 200918636) DELIVERED REF: SECSTATE 108957 Classified By: Deputy Economic Counselor Ramon Negron, Reasons 1.4(b)(d ). ¶1. (C/NF) Econoff delivered the Secretary's letter on whale conservation to Foreign Minister Smith's Deputy Chief of Staff, Andrew Dempster, on October 23. Dempster said that the government is reviewing the proposed changes to international whale conservation efforts and will consider Australia's next move at a cabinet meeting in November. He pointed out that the minimum result that Australia could accept from any process (old or new) was a substantial reduction in the number of whales killed in the Southern Ocean. A change that simply repackages the shortfall between Japan's stated scientific whaling quota and the actual number of whales killed in recent seasons would be unacceptable. He briefly reviewed the letter and said it would be "very useful" in deliberations in Canberra. Dempster acknowledged there are various views within Departments and among Ministers on the next step, but said there would be a unified government position adopted in Cabinet. Embassy is meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs officials next week to get the GOA's review of the Santiago meetings, and will follow up with any emerging details of Cabinet discussions. CLUNE