Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE108957
2009-10-21 19:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
Cable title:
REPLY FROM SECRETARY CLINTON TO FOREIGN MINISTER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0031 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #8957 2941955 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O P 211934Z OCT 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 5534 INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0947 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY 5982 RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS STATE 108957
SIPDIS
DOC: PASS TO NOAA
WHITE HOUSE PASS TO CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL SENV IWC
SUBJECT: REPLY FROM SECRETARY CLINTON TO FOREIGN MINISTER
SMITH (S/ES 200918636)
UNCLAS STATE 108957
SIPDIS
DOC: PASS TO NOAA
WHITE HOUSE PASS TO CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL SENV IWC
SUBJECT: REPLY FROM SECRETARY CLINTON TO FOREIGN MINISTER
SMITH (S/ES 200918636)
1. (U) Please deliver the following reply from
Secretary Clinton to Australian Foreign Minister Smith.
There will be no signed original.
2. (U) BEGIN TEXT:
Dear Mr. Minister:
Thank you for your letter regarding whale conservation
and the current diplomatic efforts in which our nations
are working to resolve issues pending before the
International Whaling Commission (IWC). As your letter
notes, our nations recently concluded a meeting in
Santiago, Chile to
discuss a range of options the Commission may wish to
consider in resolving lethal scientific research whaling.
We appreciate Australia's constructive engagement in
those discussions.
As a result of the meeting, the Support Group explored a
concept for an agreement that would prohibit any member
of the IWC from unilaterally authorizing the lethal take
of whales. This agreement would allow a limited number
of whales to be harvested by a very small number of
countries, and it would bring all forms of whaling under
the control of the Commission, a mutual goal of our two
governments.
The United States is committed to resolving these
issues and believes that the time has arrived for
reaching a solution. We believe that another such
opportunity is unlikely to present itself in the
foreseeable future. Failure to achieve a
satisfactory resolution of these issues would very
likely lead to a significant deterioration within
the Commission.
The United States considers the conservation benefits
offered under the emerging agreement as desirable,
including the establishment of a cap on the
number of whales taken and increasing the conservation
work of the Commission. We encourage Australia to
consider these outcomes as we move toward a diplomatic
solution over the coming months.
The United States shares Australia's view that the
U.S.-Australia-Japan trilateral relationship is of the
utmost importance. We would not like to see this
relationship strained by precipitous actions,
particularly when a diplomatic solution is emerging.
We look forward to working closely with your
government on achieving this solution.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
END TEXT.
CLINTON
SIPDIS
DOC: PASS TO NOAA
WHITE HOUSE PASS TO CEQ
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL SENV IWC
SUBJECT: REPLY FROM SECRETARY CLINTON TO FOREIGN MINISTER
SMITH (S/ES 200918636)
1. (U) Please deliver the following reply from
Secretary Clinton to Australian Foreign Minister Smith.
There will be no signed original.
2. (U) BEGIN TEXT:
Dear Mr. Minister:
Thank you for your letter regarding whale conservation
and the current diplomatic efforts in which our nations
are working to resolve issues pending before the
International Whaling Commission (IWC). As your letter
notes, our nations recently concluded a meeting in
Santiago, Chile to
discuss a range of options the Commission may wish to
consider in resolving lethal scientific research whaling.
We appreciate Australia's constructive engagement in
those discussions.
As a result of the meeting, the Support Group explored a
concept for an agreement that would prohibit any member
of the IWC from unilaterally authorizing the lethal take
of whales. This agreement would allow a limited number
of whales to be harvested by a very small number of
countries, and it would bring all forms of whaling under
the control of the Commission, a mutual goal of our two
governments.
The United States is committed to resolving these
issues and believes that the time has arrived for
reaching a solution. We believe that another such
opportunity is unlikely to present itself in the
foreseeable future. Failure to achieve a
satisfactory resolution of these issues would very
likely lead to a significant deterioration within
the Commission.
The United States considers the conservation benefits
offered under the emerging agreement as desirable,
including the establishment of a cap on the
number of whales taken and increasing the conservation
work of the Commission. We encourage Australia to
consider these outcomes as we move toward a diplomatic
solution over the coming months.
The United States shares Australia's view that the
U.S.-Australia-Japan trilateral relationship is of the
utmost importance. We would not like to see this
relationship strained by precipitous actions,
particularly when a diplomatic solution is emerging.
We look forward to working closely with your
government on achieving this solution.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
END TEXT.
CLINTON