MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON CLIMATE CHANGE

UNCLAS VALLETTA 000421

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR OES/EGC WENDY MOORE, EUR MATT BEH AND SUSAN
PARKER-BURNS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG TRGY EUN MT
SUBJECT: MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON CLIMATE CHANGE
DISCUSSION WITH EU MEMBER STATES IN PREPARATION FOR OCTOBER
EU COUNCILS AND MULTILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS

REF: STATE 97542


1. Poloff delivered reftel demarche on September 29 to MFA
coordinator for Environment, Second Secretary David Ellul.

2. Ellul expressed appreciation for the information provided
and indicated that Malta, following the EU lead, was in
general agreement on the need to have major emerging
countries undertake national action and commit
internationally to those actions, to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. He noted that the EU was trying to "act as a
bridge" between the U.S. position and China in this regard,
and expected that climate change would be a substantial
discussion topic at the EU-China summit later this year. He
indicated that his EU interlocutors were of the opinion that
the Government of China was moving forward on this issue and
was "not as antagonistic" toward discussion of a specific
Chinese commitment as it had been in the past.


3. Ellul asked about prospects for passage of Waxman-Markey
prior to the Copenhagen summit. Poloff was non-committal,
noting that the Administration's approach to the issue of
climate change was clear, and that the legislation had been
passed by the House of Representatives, but, that it was
inadvisable to speculate about what, if any, changes to the
legislation the Senate might make or when final Senate
passage might occur. Poloff noted again that U.S.-EU
cooperation at Copenhagen was key to success. Any further
information will be submitted septel.
KMIEC