VZCZCXRO1599
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHHM RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
RUEHPW
DE RUEHNE #1172 1210708
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300708Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1486
INFO RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2127
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 2828
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 1938
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 8663
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 4404
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUCPDC/NOAA NMFS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, OES/FO, OES/PCI, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV IN
SUBJECT: A/S MCMURRAY URGES INDIA TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOUTH ASIAN 
WILDLIFE ENFORCEMENT NETWORK 
 
 
¶1. (U) OES Assistant Secretary Claudia McMurray met with Ministry of 
Environment and Forests (MoEF) Secretary Meena Gupta on the 
sidelines of the Global Issues Forum on April 24, 2008 in order to 
engage the MoEF on the formation of a South Asia Wildlife 
Enforcement Network (SAWEN).  Mr. M.B. Lal, Additional Director 
General, Wildlife, and Dr. R.B. Lal, Inspector General of Forest, 
Wildlife, also attended the meeting.  A/S McMurray was accompanied 
by the Regional Environmental Officer and FSN from Embassy Kathmandu 
as well as EmbOffs from Embassy New Delhi. 
 
¶2.  (U) A/S McMurray opened the discussion by noting the proposed 
SAWEN was discussed earlier in the day at the Global Issues Forum 
(GIF) where Foreign Secretary Menon had agreed a regional wildlife 
enforcement network was needed and likened the concept to a similar 
and successful regional South Asian network combating narcotics 
trafficking (septel).  A/S McMurray explained the U.S. interest in a 
SAWEN and drew a parallel to U.S. support for the ASEAN Wildlife 
Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) which has been operating 
successfully due to regional cooperation which has proved 
instrumental in cracking several wildlife crime rings.  She offered 
similar support, initially in the form of training, to SAWEN and 
expressed hope that the countries of South Asia could formalize 
SAWEN at the upcoming meeting of the South Asia Cooperative 
Environment Program (SACEP) Ministerial Meeting to be held in Jaipur 
in late May 2008. 
 
¶3.  (U) Secretary Gupta was aware that SAWEN had been discussed at 
the GIF meeting which Dr. R.B. Lal had attended.  She informed A/S 
McMurray that there was no firm MoEF position on the issue and that 
there were differing views within the Ministry.  Dr. Lal stated he 
did not see merit in "another additional" wildlife network 
commenting that India already had bilateral agreements with Nepal 
and China and already participated in the Coalition Against Wildlife 
Trafficking as well as the Global Tiger Forum (GTF).  While not 
endorsing SAWEN, Secretary Gupta intervened saying that the GTF is 
only for tigers and is quite "dormant."  She stated India would 
review the issue and would present its position at the SACEP 
Ministerial. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The fact that MoEF is unwilling to come out in support of 
SAWEN at this time indicates a shift in power within the ministry. 
Secretary Gupta has welcomed and been very appreciative of 
 
SIPDIS 
international cooperation on wildlife issues in the past and has 
spoke positively to EmbOff regarding the SAWEN.  However, her tenure 
as Secretary of MoEF is slated to come to an end in June 2008 and it 
appears other elements within MoEF, especially Dr. Lal, who prefers 
to avoid international commitments and any potential exposure of 
India's lack of capacity in combating wildlife crime, is exerting 
greater influence.  However, Dr. Lal's newly appointed superior, 
Additional Director M.B. Lal, who remained silent during the 
meeting, may be a useful counterweight in promoting the SAWEN. 
EmbOffs will pursue this avenue via a courtesy call on new 
Additional Director Lal. 
 
¶5.  This cable has been cleared by A/S McMurray. 
 
MULFORD