SPAIN REQUESTS MINISTERIAL-LEVEL U.S.-EU CLIMATE

UNCLAS MADRID 000202 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/SECC TODD STERN, JONATHAN PERSHING, AND RACHEL KASTENBERG, OES/EGC BARBARA DEROSA-JOYNT, EUR/ERA MATTHEW BEH, EUR/WE, NSC FOR DEPUTY NSA FROMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV SP SUBJECT: SPAIN REQUESTS MINISTERIAL-LEVEL U.S.-EU CLIMATE CHANGE CONSULTATIONS REF: MADRID 68 ¶1. On February 22 Ambassador Solomont received a letter from Spanish Secretary of State (vice minister) for Climate Change Teresa Ribera requesting, on behalf of the EU, consultations with the USG on climate change at the ministerial level. The text of the letter is as follows: (begin text) Dear Ambassador, The current Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union is persuaded of the need to continue the international dialogue on climate change, after the Copenhaguen Accord. Therefore, I will invite the European Commission and Belgium, as troika of the EU, to come with us to undertake consultations with your country at Ministerial level. I would be grateful if you can relay this proposal to Mr. Todd Stern, Especial (sic) Envoy as well as Mr. Michael Froman, from the Executive Office in order to fix a convenient date in the next weeks. With pleasure we are flexible to meet on the occasion of any international event or to visit your country Look forward to your answer Yours sincerely, Teresa Ribera Rodriguez Secretary of State for Climate change. (end text) ¶2. Please advise if post should respond directly to Secretary Ribera and, if so, what the response should be. ¶3. ESTH officer Ari Nathan is Embassy Madrid's POC for this activity (nathana@state.gov, nathanax@state.sgov.gov, 011.34.91.587.2290). SOLOMONT