ICELANDIC PRIORITIES REVEALED FOR INTERNATIONAL WHALING

UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000104 STATE FOR OES LISA PHELPS AND MAGGIE HAYES AND EUR/NB USDOC FOR NMFS CHERI MCCARTY TOKYO FOR BART COBBS COPENHAGEN FOR ESTH HUB SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV EFIS KSCA PREL IWC ETRD IC SUBJECT: ICELANDIC PRIORITIES REVEALED FOR INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION MEETING REF: STATE 57029 ¶1. (U) Emboff met with Iceland's Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Tomas Heidar and Director of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs' Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Department Jon Egill Egilsson on June 9 to relay reftel points and elicit Iceland's priorities for the annual IWC meeting in Portugal. Iceland's responses are keyed to reftel. The official delegation will consist of four members: Tomas Heidar; Gisli Vikingsson, a scientist from the Marine Research Institute; Kristjan Loftsson, owner of the whaling company Hvalur, which is the only company with the capacity to hunt large whales such as fin whales; and a fourth, unspecified person. ¶2. (SBU) Begin responses to reftel (note internal numbering): 9a. Heidar said in the report of the SWG, there is a footnote indicating a reservation by two countries, one of which is Iceland. Although Heidar described the footnote as inaccurate in detail, he said the principal meaning was conveyed. The Icelandic delegation is concerned about the two stage process -- first separating Japan and sanctuaries in one stage and then moving on to a second stage on general rules. In Iceland's view, the "Future" process should be combined in a single package. 9b. Heidar said that the meetings should be closed to observers and for states only. He clarified that Iceland has no difficulty speaking in front of observers, but it is their experience that others might not speak their mind in an open meeting. 9c. Heidar said it would be more realistic to limit the number of participants in these discussions to the number of countries that are most affected. He further clarified this as meaning whaling countries and "the most outspoken on the other side" and a group of countries committed to the process. 9d. Heidar's recommendation for a Chair was that he/she be balanced. He asked about rumors that current Chair Dr. Bill Hogarth's term would be extended. Heidar said that Iceland would be willing to let Hogarth continue if the election is postponed. Iceland will not present a candidate. Heidar also said the Nordic group had met and there is no confirmed candidate from the group. 10a. Heidar and Egilsson thought the chair of the SWG had been effective. 10b. Heidar and Egilsson did not have any recommendations regarding the chairmanship of the SWG. 16a. Heidar and Egilsson both emphatically said the GOI is not involved in the trade of whale products: "the GOI does not further trade or hinder it." Rather, "trade is open and left to private parties to establish." 16b. Heidar said there is no change in the principle behind Iceland's whaling; "we are conducting sustainable whaling...that means it is conservation as it's based on scientific advice." Heidar said that for GOI there are just two kinds of whaling -- sustainable and not sustainable. He said that is how whaling should be defined and sustainability should be kept in mind when talking about aboriginal whaling or research whaling. Heidar clarified that there are no changes this year to whaling but that future whaling had not been decided. End responses to reftel. KLOPFENSTEIN