VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHZP #0902/01 3381837
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041835Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PANAMA
TO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0152
INFO RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA

UNCLAS PANAMA 000902 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KGHG PM
SUBJECT: Panama Environmental Team in Disaray as it Prepares for 
Copenhagen 
 
REF: NOVEMBER 27 WHA/EPSC COLON EMAIL; SAN JOSE 1056 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Panama's National Authority for the Environment 
will not lead the Panama delegation to Copenhagen and has lost the 
support of the Panamanian environmental NGO community. 
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a new 
environmental point of contact who is getting up to speed on the 
issues.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) ECONOFF delivered reftel A talking points to Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MIREX) Director for Conferences and International 
Organizations Tomas Guardia on December 3.  Guardia, the point of 
contact for MIREX on environmental policy, has been in the position 
for three weeks.  He said that the GOP delegation would be led by 
the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Meliton Arrocha, National 
Authority for the Environment (ANAM) Director for Climate Change 
Leslie Marin (for only the first week), himself (for the second 
week), a small number of ANAM technical specialists, and Oscar 
Vallarino, Executive Manager of the Environment Division of the 
Panama Canal Authority (ACP).  The head of ANAM, Javier Arias, will 
not participate in the meeting.  (Note: Rumors of Arias' dismissal 
have been rampant for the past six weeks, were strengthened after a 
reportedly forced purge a few weeks ago, and will only be 
strengthened more by being left off of this delegation list.)  The 
involvement of the ACP is to address Panama's top climate change 
issue, bunker fuel emissions, which the GOP would like addressed in 
the International Maritime Organization; approximately 23 percent 
of ships sail under the Panamanian flag.  Guardia said that the GOP 
appreciated US support and leadership on climate change, and was 
particularly pleased that President Obama will attend the 
Copenhagen summit.  He was unfamiliar with what occurred in 
Guatemala (reftel B) when Panama declined to sign a G77-inspired 
document.  He had no insight about how to achieve a pragmatic and 
realistic outcome in Copenhagen. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU).  ECONOFF met with Leslie Marin, ANAM Director for 
Climate Change on November 25.  Marin downplayed the results in 
Guatemala, but highlighted that the countries of Central America 
are vulnerable and need resources to adapt to climate change. 
Marin said several times that he is optimistic that agreement will 
be reached in Copenhagen around the "shared vision" proposal. 
Regarding bunker fuel emissions, Marin said that Panama could not 
agree that flag countries should pay for these emissions.  However, 
Marin's focus on climate change issues appears to be procedural 
rather than substantive, such as increasing NGO involvement in the 
GOP climate change discussion, including getting them added to the 
National Committee on Climate Change, and publishing the National 
Communication about Climate Change, last published in 2000. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The meetings with the GOP followed a November 12 briefing 
to 15 environmental NGOs by ECONOFF.  At the briefing, the NGOs 
focused on the mechanisms by which developed countries will help 
developing countries adapt to and mitigate changes due to climate 
change, questioned how Panama could have an impact on the global 
climate change discussion, and lamented that they are outside of 
the GOP decision-making process.  They expressed their appreciation 
for US engagement and leadership in climate change, and for the 
briefing.  Likely as a result of this meeting at the Embassy, Marin 
briefed the environmental NGOs for the first time on the 
administration's environmental policies on November 27. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) However, the outreach by ANAM to the environmental NGOs 
appears to be too late.  On December 2, fourteen NGOs, including 
four briefed by the Embassy, sent a letter to President Martinelli 
urging him to take concrete actions to protect the environment. 
They called on him to follow through on his promises made during 
his presidential campaign and since taking office on July 1 by 
promoting renewable energy; revising mining regulations to protect 
vulnerable areas; encouraging sustainable development which does 
not negatively affect mangroves, beaches, and forests; and 
strengthening environmental institutions, specifically ANAM. 
(Note:  The absence of climate change as a specific issue 
identified by the NGOs appears to highlight their focus on local 
issues and how low their expectations are for the GOP in 
Copenhagen.)  The letter made the front page of Panama's paper of 
record, La Prensa. 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment:  Post will engage with the Government of Panama 
when and where appropriate to increase its knowledge of the US 
climate change position, but it does not appear that Panama will 
field a team that will be a strong ally in Copenhagen. 
STEPHENSON