CHILE: MAY HAVE CONCERNS WITH CITES COP-15 PROPOSALS;

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000160 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KSCA AORC UNEP CI SUBJECT: CHILE: MAY HAVE CONCERNS WITH CITES COP-15 PROPOSALS; NATIONAL CITES COMMITTEE TO MEET IN LATE FEBRUARY REF: STATE 6668 ¶1. (SBU) ESTHoff delivered reftel points to Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Environment Directorate (MFA/DIMA) CITES Coordinator Nancy Cespedes on January 27. Cespedes informed ESTHoff that Chile may have some concerns with the proposals, e.g., Chile trades in coral and is concerned with identifying species that might be included under CITES. According to Cespedes, MFA is working with their interagency, including the Undersecretary of Fisheries, on a response. She also said Chile expects to send a delegation and is working on a list of names. ¶2. (U) On February 4, Cespedes confirmed that Chilean national CITES committee met and received the information regarding the U.S.-proposed amendments on January 27. She said that representatives of both Chile's National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA) and its Undersecretary for Fisheries are still analyzing fishery and marine aspects of the U.S. proposals, as well as those of the European Union. The national CITES committee is scheduled to meet again on February 24. Post will provide any information obtained from the GOC via septel. ¶3. (U) According to the MFA/DIMA, the Chilean delegation has not been finalized. To date, only three GOC representatives -- all from Chile's National Forestry Commission (CONAF),a division of the Ministry of Agriculture -- have confirmed their participation: -- Fernando Olave, Manager, CONAF, Office of Budget and Regulations Management [Note: Olave was the chief organizer of the CITES Conference of Parties in Santiago, Chile in 2002. End note.] -- Bernardo Martinez, CONAF, Office of Budget and Regulations Management -- Jorge Martinez, CONAF, Office of Budget and Regulations Management URBAN