VZCZCXYZ0032
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #1180/01 3382045
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 042044Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0377
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001180 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR S/SECC 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC AND EEB/ESC/IEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ENRG SENV PGOV KGHG UN CI
SUBJECT: CHILE: SUPPORTIVE OF POLITICAL OUTCOME AT COP-15 IF IT SETS 
THE TONE FOR CONTINUED NEGOTIATIONS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Environment Minister Uriarte told the Ambassador 
that Chile expects the outcome of the COP-15 in Copenhagen to be a 
political agreement, but that she hopes it will have some 
substance.  As an emerging economy, Chile expects to be a bridge 
between the developed and developing countries.  Noting the 
important role for developing countries in climate change 
mitigation, she suggested Chile will pursue mitigation measures 
using its own resources, in contrast to other countries that will 
make commitments contingent on financing from developed countries. 
Uriarte signaled that Chile may be prepared to outline voluntary 
commitments if the negotiating climate is right.  End summary. 
 
 
 
¶2.   (SBU) The Ambassador met with Minister of the Environment Ana 
Lya Uriarte on December 4.  The Minister was accompanied by Raul 
Campusano, Head of International Affairs at the National 
Environmental Commission (CONAMA) and, also from CONAMA, Juan 
Francisco Bascunan and Constance Nalegach.  ESTHoff accompanied the 
Ambassador.  In addition, on December 1, ESTHoff met with Waldemar 
Coutts, Deputy Director of Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Office of Environment. 
 
 
 
Political Outcome Should Still Have Substance 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Uriarte outlined Chile's expectation that the outcome of 
Copenhagen would be a politically binding agreement and, while 
expressing some disappointment there would not be legally binding 
outcome at the COP-15, seemed optimistic about a future agreement. 
(Coutts echoed this view in his meeting with ESTHoff.)  Uriarte 
said this was the most practical approach given the current global 
political situation "at this historic moment" and repeated several 
times that to be an effective agreement it would need to follow the 
Bali roadmap priorities of measurement, reporting, and verification 
of progress on emissions reductions.  She was not concerned that 
international verification would become a sticking point, although 
she noted India's reservations on the issue. 
 
 
 
Pending OECD Membership is Shaping Chile's Bridging Role 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------------- 
--------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Uriarte described Chile's probable December accession to 
the OECD as an opportunity to exchange best practices and a chance 
to bring an emerging economy vision to the OECD.  Even if the 
developed countries significantly reduce emissions, Uriate said 
there is still a powerful role for developing countries in climate 
change mitigation.  She conveyed the sense of responsibility Chile 
feels to develop mitigation measures it could meet using its own 
resources.  She differentiated this from other countries, i.e., 
Brazil, which will make commitments contingent only on financing 
from developed countries. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Coutts asserted that Chile's imminent accession to the 
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has 
increased the pressure for it to consider making commitments, given 
that many of its trading partners (particularly EU countries) are 
looking at the carbon footprint of products entering their markets. 
He cited the cases of Mexico and South Korea, non-Annex I countries 
that joined the OECD without making binding commitments to reduce 
emissions which, nevertheless, have gradually developed "ambitious, 
but voluntary" climate change mitigation goals.  Chile expects to 
join Mexico and Korea, both formerly part of the G-77, in the 
Environmental Integrity Group (EIG). 
 
 
 
President Bachelet May Attend Copenhagen 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) When asked if President Bachelet would go to Copenhagen, 
Uriarte evaded a direct reply and said that after Chile's 
presidential election on December 13, there is a constitutional 
requirement for the president to request the Senate's permission to 
travel outside the country, but it is not in session.  Coutts 
confided to ESTHoff that he believes that Bachelet will attend if 
she "has a message to deliver." 
 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In the context of speculation about Bachelet's 
participation, Coutts said that Chile's National Energy Commission 
has political guidance to develop targets for voluntary emissions 
reductions.  Uriarte emphasized that Chile is seeking targets that 
it can attain with domestic resources.  The minister and Coutts 
both described Chile's  approach to voluntary mitigation measures 
as a type of "pledge and review," i.e., Chile will set goals and 
periodically reassess both its progress and the possibility of 
making further commitments, subject to technical assistance and 
financing. 
 
 
 
Chilean Delegation 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) According to Coutts, there will be over 40 members of the 
Chilean delegation to Copenhagen, including four ministers: 
Minister of Environment Uriarte as the head of delegation, Minister 
of Agriculture Marigen Hornkhol, Minister of Mining Santiago 
Gonzalez, and Minister of Energy Marcelo Tokman.  The executive 
director of Chile's environmental commission, Alvaro Sapag will 
also attend as head of the technical delegation.  The Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs will be represented by Coutts and Christian 
Maquieira (Chile's ambassador to Paraquay and its representative in 
previous climate change negotiations).  The working level members 
of the delegation will be there from the start of discussions, but 
the ministers will not travel until after Chile's December 13 
presidential elections; Uriarte plans to be in Copenhagen on 
December 14. 
 
 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Coutts revealed former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, 
one of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoys on Climate 
Change will also attend, but not as part of the official Chilean 
delegation.  Coutts expressed relief that no non-governmental 
organizations have asked to join the delegation, but there will be 
at least four representatives of the private sector.  He inquired 
about private sector and NGO participation in the USG delegation. 
SIMONS