Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10VIENNA126
2010-02-03 07:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

CITES COP15: AUSTRIA AGAINST BOBCAT PROPOSAL

Tags:  SENV KSCA CITES AORC UNEP AU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4898
RR RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTRO
DE RUEHVI #0126 0340704
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030704Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4100
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS VIENNA 000126 

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

OES/ENRC FOR LLOYD GAMBLE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KSCA CITES AORC UNEP AU
SUBJECT: CITES COP15: AUSTRIA AGAINST BOBCAT PROPOSAL

REF: STATE 6668

UNCLAS VIENNA 000126

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

OES/ENRC FOR LLOYD GAMBLE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KSCA CITES AORC UNEP AU
SUBJECT: CITES COP15: AUSTRIA AGAINST BOBCAT PROPOSAL

REF: STATE 6668


1. (U) On February 1, Post met with Max Abensperg-Traun, the
Austrian expert for the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in the Ministry
of Agriculture and Environment who will be the Austrian
representative at COP15 in March. We made sure to hold the meeting
one day before an EU coordination meeting in Brussels. The EU
countries intend to draft a common position and speak with one voice
in Doha.


2. (SBU) Abensperg said that Austria and, as we understand, the EU
is supporting the U.S. proposals on sharks, corals, polar bears and
snakes. Overall, he expects very good cooperation between the U.S.
and Europe on most issues at COP15.


3. (SBU) However, Austria and the EU would vote against deletion of
bobcat from Appendix II. Abensperg said that the "toolkit" or
identification guide, as it is available to date, is "insufficient"
to avoid confusion with other lynx species. In particular,
identification techniques for the tail or pelts without tails are
still needed, our interlocutor said. Abensperg added that even if
the number of Eurasian Lynx entering into trade as bobcat is very
low, the problem still persists.

EACHO