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Cablegate: Major Economies Meeting Ii - Finalized German

Published: Fri 25 Jan 2008 11:33 AM
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RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHRL #0109 0251133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251133Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0310
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BERLIN 000109
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ: SCHMIDT, MILLS
NSC FOR DAN PRICE
STATE FOR "G" - DOBRIANSKY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG PGOV PREL GM
SUBJECT: MAJOR ECONOMIES MEETING II - FINALIZED GERMAN
DELEGATION AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY COMMENTS
REF: A. REF A: 07 STATE 5908
B. REF B: 07 BERLIN 38
1. (SBU) Summary: The German delegation to the second Major
Economies Meeting has been finalized and will now include a
representative of the Federal Chancellery in addition to
those from the Environment and Foreign Affairs Ministries. In
response to the action request (REF A), the Environment
Ministry provided additional feedback on MEM agenda items on
January 24.
2. (SBU) As previously noted (REF B), the German delegation
will be led by Environment Ministry State Secretary Matthias
Machnig. The team will also include his colleagues Karsten
Sach and Carolin Zerger, as well as Foreign Ministry
representative Reinhardt Krapp. It is now confirmed that Dr.
Peter Roesgen, the Deputy Director General for
Infrastructure, will represent the Federal Chancellery.
3. (SBU) In a discussion with EconOff on January 24, Ms.
Zerger relayed Germany's top concerns about the MEM II.
Zerger said that delegates must first speak about exactly how
the MEM will contribute to the UNFCCC and which specific
topics should be included in MEM discussions (noting some
topics should not be addressed, REF B). Second, Germany wants
to talk about peak emissions in the context of discussions
about a Long Term Goal. Germany supports the IPCC
recommendation that this should happen in the next 10 to 15
years. Third, Zerger stressed that Germany will talk about
technological sectoral approaches only in the context of
absolute numerical targets that she said are needed in the UN
process. Finally, Zerger repeated that Germany does not want
to discuss forestry, adaptation or measurement in the Major
Economies Process.
TIMKEN JR
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