Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PARAMARIBO170
2009-06-08 19:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:  

SURINAME: THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE INTERNATIONAL

Tags:  EFIS KSCA PREL SENV IWC NS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0019
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPO #0170 1591929
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081929Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0731
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000170 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR WHA/CAR JROSHOLT
OES/OPA FOR LPHELPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS KSCA PREL SENV IWC NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
WHALING COMMISSION

REF: STATE 57020

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000170

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR WHA/CAR JROSHOLT
OES/OPA FOR LPHELPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS KSCA PREL SENV IWC NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME: THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
WHALING COMMISSION

REF: STATE 57020


1. (SBU) As requested in Reftel, on June 8 Poloff met with
Suriname's International Whaling Commission (IWC)
Commissioner, Mr. Jaswant Sahtoe, a public servant at the
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries.
Mr. Sahtoe indicated that although he was not in a position
to state his view on whether the "Future of the International
Whaling Commission" ("Future") meetings should be extended
for another year, he thought that having a smaller working
party had its advantages. He said he was hopeful that the
"Future" process would formulate guidelines that are
workable, because right now the IWC is not functioning.


2. (SBU) When asked his position on having observers at the
"Future Meetings," he said it was his understanding this was
already the case. Each country determines its group of
advisors who may also attend the meetings, and in the past
these advisors have included representatives of
nongovernmental organizations. He said there was also
precedent for the comments of nongovernmental advisors being
shared at the meeting. He said participation in the "Future"
process should be open to all members of the IWC.


3. (SBU) Sahtoe asked Poloff about the future of the current
U.S. Commissioner, and Chair of the IWC, Dr. Bill Hogarth.
Noting that the position is held by a political appointee, he
questioned Poloff on whether the new Obama administration
would nominate Hogarth for another term. Sahtoe said Hogarth
is well-respected due to his good initiatives to bring the
parties together, including the "Future" initiative. Sahtoe
cautioned that his support for Hogarth as Chair was based on
Hogarth's personal ideas, not his nationality, and that he
might not support a different U.S. Commissioner in the same
way.


4. (SBU) The IWC must solve the problem of managing whaling,
even if it is only a temporary solution, Sahtoe opined. He
said science should be the basis of the IWC's decisions, and
that the Scientific Commission should be providing the
necessary information so that decisions could be made without
taking the risk of destroying whale populations. To do this,
more research, funding for research, and vessels, are
necessary.
SCHREIBER HUGHES