Israel's COP-15 Accord Commitment

UNCLAS TEL AVIV 000192 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/ENV, NEA/RA AND NEA/IPA AMMAN FOR ESTH - BHALLA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG KGHG IS SUBJECT: Israel's COP-15 Accord Commitment REF: STATE ¶1. (SBU) Post communicated demarche on COP-15 Accord commitments (reftel) to Israel's Foreign Ministry (International Organization Department)on January 14, and later to Environmental Protection Ministry (MEP). MEP International Relations office noted that the GOI was still organizing itself to be able to make the commitments noted in the Copenhagen Accord, and doubted that it would make a January 31 deadline. However, the MEP officer observed that the Ministry had just received notice that the UN had itself pushed the deadline for nations to register their association with the Copenhagen Accord and record their commitments into the future, so January 31 was no longer the operative date. ESTOff encouraged the Ministry to continue to move on its association preparations, nonetheless, given the importance of keeping the maximum momentum from the Copenhagen meeting. ¶2. (U) Post would appreciate Department's verification of a new target date for states to register their association and commitments, and will continue to follow the issue's progress and report when GOI association with the Copenhagen Accord is likely. Cunningham