This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 001265 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIS ETRD PGOV PREL SENV EC
SUBJECT: NEW MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT ACKNOWLEDGES 
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS 
 
REF: A. QUITO 983 
     ¶B. 04 QUITO 2704 
 
¶1. Summary.  In a courtesy call with the new Minister of the 
Environment, Anita Alban Mora, Embassy and USAID officials 
presented Galapagos and illegal logging as the Mission,s two 
top environmental priorities.  Alban agreed that these issues 
were serious and said she planned to deal with them, 
welcoming cooperation with us and the donor community.  She 
accepted a USAID invitation for a briefing on their programs, 
planned to meet with the donor community as soon as feasible, 
and commented that she would go to the Galapagos soon to 
begin working issues there.  She also noted that she would 
try to implement the independent and transparent process for 
selecting directors of the Galapagos National Park (GNP) that 
the donor community and we have pushed for months.  We 
congratulated her on her choice of interim GNP Director, 
Washington Tapia, a figure well and favorably known to us. 
End Summary. 
 
Young and Nervous 
----------------- 
 
¶2. At 37, Anita Alban is by far the youngest of Palacio,s 
cabinet.  Her reputation preceded her into this position 
(Reftel A), indicating that she is likely neither qualified 
nor capable of handling ministerial-level responsibilities. 
She is also thought to owe this position to Lourdes Luque, a 
former Minister of the Environment, Palacio-family associate, 
and Guayaquil political figure.  She was very nervous at the 
beginning of the meeting but relaxed towards the end, 
realizing that we had not come to lambaste her but to offer 
support. 
 
¶3. Alban came alone to the meeting.  We first laid out our 
top concerns - Galapagos and illegal logging.  We then 
congratulated her on her choice of Washington Tapia as 
interim director of the GNP.  First, she said, Galapagos is 
also a priority for her.  She commented that she would seek 
to implement the transparent and independent process for 
selecting GNP Directors, as formulated by USAID/UNDP/IDB 
funded consultants (Reftel B).   This would go a long way 
towards depoliticizing the park, our short-term Galapagos 
goal.  She also explained that income-generating alternatives 
for fishermen were a medium-term goal.  She has contacted 
FOMIN about establishing some sort of credit system to help 
move fishermen into tourism and other sustainable activities. 
 
¶4. Illegal logging was also of concern to her.  We commented 
that Ecuador is only second to Brazil in its rate of 
deforestation.  She understood and nodded when we suggested 
that independent third party monitoring is probably the 
answer.  We discussed the SGS case, a Swiss company who had 
the contract with GOE to do independent monitoring of illegal 
logging.  SGS was so effective that logging interests managed 
to have their contract nullified by the courts in 2003. 
There has been no effective monitoring of illegal logging 
since.  Alban, to our surprise and in contrast to the 
position taken by other GOE officials, commented that the SGS 
contract was still valid.  She said she was meeting with SGS 
later that day. 
 
Meet the Family 
--------------- 
 
¶5. We encouraged her to become involved with the donor 
community in order to work on issues.  USAID offered to brief 
her on their programs and she accepted the invitation.  She 
also said she hoped to engage the international community as 
soon as possible in order to establish environmental 
priorities. 
 
Conservation Wins the Trifecta in Galapagos 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. There are three appointed positions in the Galapagos of 
exceptional prominence and importance to conservation efforts 
- the Director of GNP, the Head of INGALA (Instituto Nacional 
de Galapagos), and the Governor of Galapagos province. 
 
¶7. Washington Tapia was named interim director of GNP by 
Alban.  Wacho, as he is known, is a very technically 
qualified director who is well and favorably known to us.  He 
participated in our IV program and we have very good 
relations with him. 
 
¶8. Carlos Carrion, brother of former GNP Interim Director 
Victor Carrion, is also a good choice for Head of INGALA. 
While some have found him eager to please everyone with whom 
he meets, he is environmentally oriented and will likely 
support conservation efforts in the Galapagos. 
 
¶9. Finally, Grace Unda was selected to be Governor of 
Galapagos province.  She was previously a virtually unknown 
figure in the Galapagos, working as the Provincial 
Coordinator for Vive la Democracia.  We recognized her 
commitment to democracy and honesty early on and nominated 
her to participate in our IV program before she became 
governor.  This should establish a good working relationship 
with her now that she is governor. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶10. While not yet seasoned, Alban seems to be making the 
right choices.  Our fear is that her benefactor and political 
interlocutors will start demanding anti-conservation 
decisions from her.  Our hope is to bring her into our fold 
far enough to educate her and help her resist such difficult 
political demands. 
 
Kenney