CLIMATE CHANGE DEMARCHE DELIVERED - SOME FOREIGN MINISTRY

UNCLAS MBABANE 000028 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S FOR MAYA HARRIS DEPT FOR OES/EGC FOR DREW NELSON AND KATE LARSEN DEPT FOR OES/S/SECC FOR RACHEL KASTENBERG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGHG SENU ENRG WZ SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE DEMARCHE DELIVERED - SOME FOREIGN MINISTRY SUPPORT Ref: State 3079 ¶1. On January 22, Ambassador Irving met with Foreign Minister Lutfo Dlamini on climate change to deliver points per reftel. The Ambassador requested Swaziland's support for the Copenhagen Accord by associating itself with the agreement, noting that Lesotho intended to do so. Ambassador Irving further emphasized the impact forward movement on the Copenhagen Accord could have, including the benefits 100 billion USD in climate change assistance might have for developing countries around the world, and underscored that associating with the agreement in itself would carry no legal obligation. ¶2. Foreign Minister Dlamini expressed his support in principle for the Accord, and told the Ambassador he would need time to review the agreement, indicating he would not be able to do so before the first week of March due to prior obligations such as African Union meetings. ¶3. COMMENT: The Foreign Minister's support for the climate change agreement appears real, but whether this will lead to action by the Foreign Ministry is less certain. As with many international organization issues, post has found that the most successful tactic has been to directly lobby of the Swazi UN Permanent Representative, who operates with a broad mandate and apparently rarely consults with headquarters. END COMMENT. IRVING