ESTONIA DISAGREES WITH U.S. ON STATUS OF LYNX; SUPPORTS

UNCLAS TALLINN 000056 SIPDIS COPENHAGEN FOR ESTH OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KSCA AORC UNEP EN SUBJECT: ESTONIA DISAGREES WITH U.S. ON STATUS OF LYNX; SUPPORTS OTHER CITES' PRIORITIES REF: STATE 6668 ¶1. Econ Specialist delivered REFTEL points to Kadri Alasi, Chief Expert of the Nature Conservation Department of the Ministry of the Environment and Jaan Salulaid, U.S. Desk Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Alasi informed that she will represent Estonia at the March 13-25 Conference of the Parties for the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Kadri Alasi's contact information is: e-mail kadri.alasi@envir.ee , Tel: +372 626 ¶2882. Tiit Maran, the Head of CITES Scientific Authority of Estonia (e-mail: t.maran@tallinnlv.ee , Tel: +372 694 3318) will also attend COP 15. ¶2. Alasi stated that Estonia will support U.S. proposals on sharks and corals at CITES COP 15. However, Estonia does not support the U.S. proposal to transfer polar bears from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I, because international trade is not the main reason for decreasing population of polar bears and thus does not meet the CITES Appendix I criteria. Alasi said polar bears are completely dependent on sea ice and destruction of their habitat caused by climate change poses the main threat to their population. Therefore Estonia holds the position that transferring polar bears from Appendix I to Appendix II does not help to solve the problem. ¶3. Further, Alasi said, Estonia does not support removal of any wild cat species from CITES Appendixes even though it would not cause a major problem in Estonia as the pelts of the Lynx rufus (indigenous to Estonia) are not popular items on the local market. However, Estonia shares the concern of other countries that removal of one species from the Appendix may cause problems with identification and law enforcement for similar species. She stated that the Lynx rufus was included into the CITES Appendix due to its similarity in appearance with other endangered species. Alasi added that several countries have reported that despite the identification guide, their law enforcement is unable to distinguish between products made of different lynx pelts. Therefore, Estonia does not support deletion of the Lynx rufus from Appendix II. ¶4. Estonia supports the U.S. and China's co-sponsored discussion document on the conservation and trade management of snakes. POLT