CAMEROON ON COPENHAGEN ACCORD AND NEXT STEPS

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000067 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CM ENRG KGHG PREL SENV SUBJECT: CAMEROON ON COPENHAGEN ACCORD AND NEXT STEPS REF: STATE 3080 ¶1. (U) Summary: On January 21, Ambassador delivered reftel demarche on the Copenhagen Accord to Cameroon's Foreign Minister. On January 29, DCM met with Minister of Environment and Nature Protection Pierre Hele to discuss the Copenhagen climate change summit and deliver reftel demarche. The Minsters were very positive about the Copenhagen Accord and said Cameroon would likely associate with it, although a final decision would have to be made by the Presidency. End summary. Associating with the Accord -------------- ¶2. (U) In a January 21 meeting, Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Foreign Minister Henri Eyebe Ayissi, who was very positive about the Copenhagen Accord, stressing "we can only support it" and noting Cameroon's ongoing participation in preparations for post-Copenhagen climate change discussions. DCM delivered reftel demarche on January 29 to Minister of Environment Pierre Hele, encouraging Cameroon to formally associate with the Accord by January 31. Hele expected Cameroon would associate but he needed to clear it with the Presidency before providing an official response, likely before the deadline. He noted that President Biya had participated actively at Copenhagen, suggesting Biya would support the Accord. Positive View of Copenhagen -------------- ¶3. (U) Minister Hele thought the Copenhagen Accord was "positive" and provided a very good basis for follow-up. He was pleased to see so many nations were at the table and to see U.S. leadership on this issue. "There's no reason to be discouraged" about Copenhagen, he said, praising the targets set and elements in reftel talking points as "a very good thing, if they are implemented". He hoped the commitment to hold the global temperature increase to below 2 percent would be revised in 2015 to 3 or 5 percent. ¶4. (U) Cameroon's approach to Copenhagen was in line with the overall African position, Hele remarked. Cameroon hoped to benefit from the different financial commitments made at Copenhagen, especially in protecting the Congo Basin. Copenhagen took into account "all the sensitive areas" for Cameroon, Africa and less developed countries - the key would be implementation, he noted. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Hele and Ayissi both attended the Copenhagen summit and were well informed about the issue. It is not surprising that the decision to associate with the Accord would have to go to the President, given Biya's attendance at the Copenhagen summit and the government's highly centralized nature. Cameroon will be eager to stay in step with the majority of the international community on climate change and to position itself well for the kind of financial assistance envisioned under the Copenhagen Accord. We are confident Cameroon will associate with the Accord; however, given the government's typically slow decision-making process, it is not at all clear that this will happen by January 31. GARVEY