VZCZCXRO3755
PP RUEHDBU RUEHKN RUEHMJ RUEHPA
DE RUEHDR #0693/01 1340330
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 140330Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6134
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 3185
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 0003
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0018
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0336
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0018
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 0118
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 0004
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0007
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0223
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 0005
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0017
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 0130
RUEHKN/AMEMBASSY KOLONIA PRIORITY 0001
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0020
RUEHMJ/AMEMBASSY MAJURO PRIORITY 0001
RUEHMK/AMEMBASSY MANAMA PRIORITY 0038
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0040
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0078
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0020
RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA PRIORITY 0004
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 0009
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO PRIORITY 0002
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 0178
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 1061
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0116
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 0034
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0010
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DAR ES SALAAM 000693 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/ETC FOR ROWENA WATSON; AF/E FOR BARBARA YODER; ADDIS 
FOR LISA BRODEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KSCA ETRD TZ
SUBJECT: CITES DEMARCHE DELIVERED 
 
REF: A. STATE 57912 
 
     ¶B. STATE 59536 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  See paragraph 12. 
 
¶2.  (U)  SUMMARY:  The Government of Tanzania (GOT) is likely 
to support USG proposals to add the sawfish to Appendix I of 
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and remove the bobcat from 
Appendix II.  Although GOT officials requested more time to 
research the proposal to add pink and red corals to Appendix 
II, Tanzania law prohibits the harvesting and export of all 
corals from mainland Tanzania, indicating likely support of 
the proposal.  GOT officials requested additional information 
regarding the USG proposal to list the Banggai cardinalfish 
and were unwilling to state a position regarding Document 36. 
 Econoff met with Emmanuel L.M. Severre, Director of 
Wildlife, on May 9, and with Geofrey F. Nanyaro, Director of 
Fisheries, on May 10; heads of their respective divisions 
within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
Bobcat Proposal 
 
¶3.  (U)  The GOT position regarding the proposal to delist 
the bobcat Lynx rufus from Appendix II depends on the 
presentation and "if done properly, we are likely to agree 
with the US," said Severre.  Severre anticipates the argument 
will center on the look-alike principle in general and will 
have implications for other species listed due to visual 
similarities to other listed species. 
 
Sawfish Proposal 
 
¶4.  (U)  The sawfish population in Tanzania is "very, very 
low--too low" and there is "every reason to conserve this 
fish," according to Nanyaro, who added he personally has not 
seen this fish since 1975.  After saying "by all means the 
sawfish deserves conservation and our protection," Nanyaro 
tempered his comment by stating the Fisheries Division would 
consult with the scientific authority, the Tanzania Fisheries 
Research Institute, and "if there is scientific justification 
to protect it, we wouldn't object."  Both Nanyaro and Severre 
asked if the sawfish proposal was from the USG, the 
Government of Kenya, or both and Post requests clarification 
re same.  (See action request in paragraph 12.) 
 
Red and Pink Corals Proposal 
 
¶5.  (U)  At least some species of pink and red corals exist 
in Tanzanian waters, leading the GOT to consider carefully 
the USG proposal to add these corals to Appendix II.  Nanyaro 
asked for more time to research, noting that Tanzania law 
prohibiting both the harvesting and export of any coral 
applies to mainland Tanzania but not to Zanzibar.  Nanyaro 
said the Fisheries Division would consult with the Institute 
of Marine Sciences on Zanzibar in formulating a GOT position 
on this proposal. 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000693  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Other Marine Proposals 
 
¶6.  (U)  The GOT has not yet formulated a position on the USG 
proposal to add the Banggai cardinalfish to Appendix II and 
requested additional information, beyond the text of the 
proposal, regarding same.  The GOT also has not yet 
formulated positions on the proposals by the Government of 
Germany to add the spiny dogfish and the porbeagle to 
Appendix II. 
 
Document 36 Proposal 
 
¶7.  (U)  The GOT "is aware of" the debate regarding the role 
of the CITES Secretariat and whether to state export quota 
status on export permits.  This debate "started a long time 
ago," and "we will see how discussion evolves," Severre said 
with a firm air of non-commitment. 
 
Elephant Proposals 
 
¶8.  (U)  The GOT is not agreeable to a 20-year moratorium on 
trade in raw or worked ivory, as proposed by Kenya, but has 
not developed a position regarding the various elephant 
proposals.  The GOT "will keep an open mind," Severre said, 
as the Wildlife division consults with other offices in the 
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to develop its 
position.  Severre expects discussions regarding elephant 
proposals to be well-attended and hotly-debated, as usual. 
 
Request from GOT 
 
¶9.  (U)  Severre strongly emphasized a request that the USG 
"kindly support proposals from Africa targeting sustainable 
use and peoples' livelihoods, to enable African states to 
address Millennium Development Goal 7" (i.e., to ensure 
environmental sustainability).  When Econoff asked what 
specific proposals this referred to, Severre made only a 
vague reference to "some regarding sport hunting." 
 
Delegation 
 
¶10.  (U)  The GOT will send a delegation of approximately 
eight officials from the Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife 
divisions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, 
including Nanyaro and Severre.  Either the Minister or the 
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and 
Tourism will lead the delegation. 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Severre is a seasoned CITES COP veteran and very 
diplomatic, making clear through tone and facial expression, 
rather than words, when no additional information on a 
subject would be forthcoming.  GOT officials in both the 
Fisheries and Wildlife Divisions were keen to know of Kenya's 
participation in the sawfish proposal.  Nanyaro's intention 
to consult with the Institute of Marine Sciences on Zanzibar 
 
DAR ES SAL 00000693  003 OF 003 
 
 
indicates a sensitivity to the mainland-Zanzibar relationship 
and recognizes that marine issues can be particularly 
delicate between them.  Such consultations are likely to 
garner a cohesive GOT position. 
 
ACTION REQUEST 
 
¶12.  (U)  Post would appreciate receiving: 
 
a.  Additional information regarding the USG proposal to add 
the Banggai cardinalfish to Appendix II; 
 
b.  Clarification that the proposal to add the sawfish to 
Appendix II is a joint proposal of the USG and the Government 
of Kenya; 
 
c.  Guidance on the GOT's request that the USG support 
proposals from Africa targeting sustainable use and peoples' 
livelihoods, to enable African states to address Millennium 
Development Goal 7 (i.e., to ensure environmental 
sustainability); 
 
d.  Updates on the USG position on the proposals by the 
Government of Germany to add the spiny dogfish and the 
porbeagle to Appendix II; and 
 
e.  Updates on the USG position on the various proposals 
regarding elephants. 
RETZER