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

UNCLAS PARIS 004643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION TO UNESCO PARIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO KEVIN PILZ, OES BARRIE RIPIN, OES/STAS ANDREW 
REYNOLDS, OES/ETC ELEANORE FOX, OES AARON SALZBERG 
STATE FOR NSC GENE WHITNEY, BISA WILLIAMS 
STATE FOR NSF ROSE GOMBAY, MARGARET LEINEN, RICHARD BUCKIUS, PATRICK 
BREZONIK 
STATE FOR NASA ELIZABETH WILLIAMS 
STATE FOR USAID FRANKLIN MOORE, MARY ROWEN, CHIP BARBER, AND MIKE 
MCGAHUEY 
STATE FOR USGS DIRECTOR PATRICK LEAHY, VERNE SCHNEIDER, GEORGE 
COAKLEY AND RICHARD CALNAN 
STATE FOR ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS LTG. CARL STROCK, STEVEN STOCKTON, 
MAJOR GENERAL DON RILEY, ROBERT PIETROWSKY 
STATE FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARMY JOHN PAUL WOODLEY, GEORGE 
DUNLOP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KS AORC TSPL EAID SENV SOCI UNESCO KSCI
SUBJECT: UNESCO: U.S. COMMITMENT TO IMPROVED WATER RESOURCES HIGHLIGHTE 
AT 
HYDROLOGY COUNCIL MEETING 
 
¶1.  THE OPENING DAYS OF THE 17TH MEETING OF THE GOVERNING  COUNCIL 
OF THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGICAL PROGRAM (IHP IGC, JULY 3-7) HAVE 
ALREADY YIELDED SEVERAL IMPORTANT EXAMPLES OF U.S. RE-ENGAGEMENT 
WITH UNESCO'S ACTIVITIES IN WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT. 
 
¶2.  ON JULY 4, THE COUNCIL - IN WHICH THE U.S. IS PARTICIPATING AS 
AN OBSERVER - ELECTED AMERICANS TO SERVE ON THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF 
TWO OF ITS SCIENTIFIC CENTERS.  ROBERT PIETROWSKY, DIRECTOR OF THE 
INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES OF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, WAS 
CHOSEN TO SERVE ON THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE UNESCO-IHE WATER 
INSTITUTE IN DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS.  EUGENE STAKHIV, ALSO OF THE 
ARMY CORPS, WAS CHOSEN TO SERVE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE I-CHARM 
CENTER FOR WATER HAZARD RISK MITIGATION IN KOBE, JAPAN.  SERVICE ON 
THESE TWO BOARDS WILL HELP ADVANCE USG GOALS IN THE AREAS OF 
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR IMPROVED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND OF 
DISASTER RISK MITIGATION. 
 
¶3.  THE OPENING OF THE IHP COUNCIL MEETING INCLUDED A CEREMONY AT 
WHICH JIM SHUTTLEWORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA WAS AWARDED THE 
INTERNATIONAL HYDROLOGY PRIZE, THE "NOBEL PRIZE FOR HYDROLOGY".  IN 
HIS SPEECH, SHUTTLEWORTH STRESSED HIS MEMBERSHIP IN THE U.S. 
NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE IHP, AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE U.S. 
WOULD "ONCE AGAIN PLAY A FULL AND ACTIVE ROLE IN THE 
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL OF THE IHP." THE CEREMONY AND 
SHUTTLEWORTH'S MOVING REMARKS UNDERLINED FOR PARTICIPANTS FROM 66 
COUNTRIES AND MANY NGOS THE PIONEERING ROLE OF THE U.S. IN 
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES, INCLUDING IN DEVELOPING BROADER ENVIRONMENTAL 
APPLICATIONS. 
 
¶4.  FOLLOWING THE AWARDS CEREMONY, COUNCIL PARTICIPANTS WITNESSED 
THE SIGNING OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE ARMY CORPS 
OF ENGINEERS INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESOURCES (USACE IWR) AND THE 
UNESCO I-CHARM CENTER THAT WILL FACILITATE U.S. PARTICIPATION IN 
UNESCO'S INTERNATIONAL FLOOD INITIATIVE IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH 
JAPAN AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. THE USACE INSTITUTE FOR 
WATER RESOURCES SIGNED A SECOND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE 
UNESCO CENTER FOR ARID AND SEMI-ARID ZONES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE 
CARIBBEAN (CAZALAC) THAT WILL STRENGTHEN THE USG PARTNERSHIP ON 
WATER RESOURCES CAPACITY BUILDING IN LATIN AMERICA. 
 
¶5.  THE U.S. OBSERVER DELEGATION IS ENGAGING FULLY IN CONSULTATIONS 
TO SHAPE THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE MEETING, INCLUDING IN THE AREAS OF 
STRATEGIC PLANNING, FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE.  IN ADDITION, INFORMAL 
CONTACTS DURING THE COURSE OF THE MEETING ARE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE 
DELEGATION TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNTIES FOR HYDROLOGICAL COOPERATION 
IN THE BILATERAL, UNESCO, AND EU CONTEXTS.  MORE ON THIS SEPTEL. 
 
¶6.  THE U.S. OBSERVER DELEGATION IS LED BY MATTHEW LARSEN, CHIEF 
SCIENTIST FOR HYDROLOGY, USGS, WHO IS ALSO CHAIR OF THE U.S. 
NATIONAL IHP COMMITTEE.  OTHER WASHINGTON-BASED DELEGATION MEMBERS 
INCLUDE:  VERNE SCHNEIDER (USGS), ROBERT PIETROWSKY (ARMY COPRS OF 
ENGINEERS), AND PATRICK BREZONIK (NSF).  U.S. PERMANENT DELEGATE TO 
UNESCO AMBASSADOR LOUISE V. OLIVER ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE 
SESSIONS.  KOSS.