BRUNEI DEBATING COPENHAGEN ACCORD

UNCLAS BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000032 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y -- SUBJECT LINE STATE FOR EAP/MTS/COPPOLAMG STATE FOR OES/NELSOND, OES/KASTERNBERGR, OES/LARSENK STATE FOR OES/LEED BANGKOK FOR REO/HOWARDH INTERIOR FOR FWS/INTERNATIONAL AND NPS/INTERNATIONAL SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KINR BX SUBJECT: BRUNEI DEBATING COPENHAGEN ACCORD REF: STATE 11182 SUMMARY -------------- 1.(SBU) Post delivered demarche points to Director (International Organizations) Florence Chong from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Ms. Chong noted that the Government of Brunei (GoB) is still conducting "internal deliberations" regarding the Copenhagen Accord. She advised that MFAT would update Post as soon as a final decision was made. 2.(SBU) British and Australian High Commissions have conveyed similar demarche points. Both embassies noted that there is an internal dispute within the GoB between MFAT, who believes the Accord should be associated with, and the Ministry of Development who is raising concerns that extra "commitments" will be required. All three embassies have attempted to alleviate the Ministry of Development's concerns but as the lead GoB agency on climate change they have been able, to date, to delay Brunei's association with the Copenhagen Accord. Post continues to demarche the GoB and has joined with the British and Australian High Commissions to publicly discuss the positive aspects of the Accord in the local media, including in the popular Ask the U.S. Ambassador weekly newspaper column. TODD