CZECH REPUBLIC -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON LIABILITY

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000092 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR OES DANIELLE WOOD, OES/EGC, OES/ENV, EAP/CM AND EB STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT MARCELLA SZYMANSKI USDA/FAS FOR STEVE FROGGETT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBKIO KPAO EZ SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC -- DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON LIABILITY AND REDRESS UNDER THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY REF: STATE 11910 (U) This cable is sensitive but unclassified. ¶1. (SBU) On February 12 we delivered reftel demarche to Environment Ministry Representative for the Cartagena Protocol Hana Jirakova and her colleague Josef Kubicek. Jirakova, who co-ordinates the respective EU member states positions, reported that the European Commission is the only body competent to negotiate Cartagena Protocol rules on liability and redress on the EU's behalf. Per Jirakova, the EU will be represented in Mexico City by two representatives: one from the EU Commission and the other one from the Czech EU Presidency, with the Commission having the final word. ¶2. (SBU) Jirakova said that the EU working group held an informal meeting last week in Prague but has not yet finalized its position. She noted that Commission Rep Matthias Buck will meet next week in Brussels with the U.S. representative, by which time the EU should have finalized its position. Jirakova believes that the February 23-27 Mexico City Group of Friends of the Co-chairs meeting will finalize the text on liability and redress. The Ministry's legal counsel Eva Adamova, currently in Nairobi, will lead the five-member Czech EU Presidency delegation, which will also include Jirakova and Kubicek in supporting roles. Within the Czech Republic, the Environment Ministry has the sole authority over Cartagena Protocol issues. Thompson-Jones